


Terrible Things

by PandaSpanker



Category: K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alpha Jeon Jungkook, Alpha Kim Namjoon | RM, Alpha Min Yoongi | Suga, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Tragedy, Baby Boy Jeon Jungkook, Baby Boy Kim Taehyung | V, Complete, Cute Jeon Jungkook, Cute Kim Taehyung | V, Depressed Min Yoongi | Suga, Epic Love, Eventual Smut, First Meetings, How Do I Tag, I Made Myself Cry, I Ship It, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Lost Love, Love, Love at First Sight, M/M, Mpreg, Omega Kim Seokjin | Jin, Omega Kim Taehyung | V, Omega Park Jimin, Parents Kim Namjoon | RM & Kim Seokjin | Jin, Single Parent Min Yoongi | Suga, Sons, Story within a Story, Tags Are Hard, Tags Contain Spoilers, Tragedy, Tragic Romance, True Love, Unhappy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2019-07-23 07:28:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 56,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16154414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PandaSpanker/pseuds/PandaSpanker
Summary: A box full of memories he'd rather forget and a son who's starting to ask questions that he's not sure how to answer.Yoongi tells Taehyung the story of his greatest love...But not every story has a happy ending.





	1. Prologue

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/30095683367/in/dateposted-public/)  


Taehyung crept into his daddy’s room, looking frantically around him to make sure his dad was nowhere to be found. He slipped into the dark room, fear making his little heart beat rapidly. Taking a deep breath, he felt around for the crate he had hidden by the door earlier. His hand grabbed the edge of it, a breath of relief escaping him as he pulled himself on top of it. He stretched his arm up, raising himself up on his tiptoes so he could reach the light switch.

Light floods the room as he flips the switch, but he loses his balance and falls over, a small cry escaping him as he tumbles to the floor. He sniffles for a moment, the urge to cry bringing tears to his eyes, but he fights them off. Crying would make too much noise and he didn’t need his daddy coming to find him. 

He wipes his eyes and pushes himself to his feet, his mouth set in determination. He walks over to the closet, his footsteps soft as he approaches the doors. Uncertainty swirls in his stomach, but the the feeling was familiar by now.

It’s been weeks since he started sneaking into his dad’s room, always anxious that today would be the day that he would get caught. But still he risked it. To Taehyung, it was worth it.

Jumping slightly, he’s able to knock the handle enough that the door comes open slightly. Pushing it wider, he crawls in, moving the bottoms of his dad’s clothes out of the way so he can crawl to the back of the closet, the carpet soft against his exposed knees. He crawls farther and farther, squinting his eyes as he searches the dim closet.

Then he finds it, a smile lighting up his face. He grabs the sides of the shoebox, scooting back and bringing it out of the closet with him, only stopping when he’s back into the brightly lit bedroom. 

He bounces excitedly, his grin spreading. 

The box was big, almost as big as Taehyung when he sits beside it, the outside a glossy black. To most children it probably would’ve been intimidating. But not to Taehyung. It would never be scary to Taehyung.

Because inside this box was nothing but happiness. 

He lifts the top off gently, careful not to bend it or scuff it in anyway. He reaches his hand in, his small fingers carefully grabbing the edge of one of the pictures inside. He pulls it out, a smile spreading across his face when he sees that it’s a new one. 

His dad smiles out from the picture in his hand, one of the happiest smiles Taehyung’s ever seen on his daddy’s face. His little finger traces over his dad’s hair, the strands green instead of the black he was used to seeing on him now. Why would he change from such a nice color? 

He looks to the person by his dad’s side, arms wrapped each other’s waists as they smile at one another. He was just a little smaller than his dad, his hair a cotton-candy pink. Taehyung smiled, tracing over the man’s features. 

Were they in love? They both seemed so happy in all the pictures he saw them in, but why did his daddy keep the pictures in here? This person seemed to be important to him, so why didn’t he put the picture where the world could appreciate it? 

And not just this picture. There were tons of pictures in the box, some that Taehyung hadn’t even gotten the chance to look at yet. All of them had the man in it, sometimes by himself or with other people. 

Taehyung furrowed his dark brows, his eyes studying the face of the pink-haired man. Turning over the picture, he concentrated on the writing, struggling to read the names on the back:

“Yoo-yoongi.” 

The name sounded strange on his tongue, but it was familiar. It was what Uncle Namjoon and Jin called his daddy. Taehyung wondered why they didn’t just call him daddy like he did. He moved his attention to the next name:

“Ji-Ji-Jimin.”

“What are you doing in here?”

Taehyung screams, the picture in his hand fluttering to the ground as his dad’s voice startles him. He turns, heart racing as he looks up at his dad. He’s leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed in front of his chest. Taehyung puts on his most innocent smile, “Daddy! I was looking for you.”

His daddy smiles, but his eyes go to the box in front of him and it falls back to a frown. “What are you doing, Taehyung?”

“Daddy, who’s Jimin?”

His dad slowly walks over, scooping Taehyung up in one arm and the box in the other. He settles them on the bed, with Taehyung cuddled into his side. Taehyung looks up at his dad, his chest aching when he sees the pain lurking behind his eyes. 

He places his hand on his daddy’s cheek, his voice soft as he asks, “What’s wrong, Daddy? Did you not like Jimin?”

Yoongi gives a sad laugh, but smiles down at Taehyung. He shakes his head slightly, his hand coming to cover his son’s. He wraps his hand around Taehyung’s small one, pulling it down between them and giving it a small squeeze. “I loved him, Taehyungie.” He takes a deep breath, his eyes staring out into the space in front of him. “When I was 20, I would’ve given anything to fall in love. And that’s when I met him, he was the most beautiful person I’d ever seen. He was the man of my dreams.” He looks down at his son, a smile gracing his lips. “He was your father, Taehyung.”

“My father?”

“Mhm.”

“Then where is he?” Taehyung bounces excitedly, squeezing his dad’s hand. “Kookie has two dads! And now I have two as well? Where is he? I wanna meet him!”

Pain flashes in Yoongi’s eyes, his smile faltering. “You can’t meet him, Taehyungie.”

Taehyung freezes, tears stinging his eyes as he pouts at him. “Why not?”

Yoongi stiffens, he takes a deep breath, trying to keep his emotions at bay. “Taehyungie, are you sure you want to know?”

Taehyung nods. It couldn’t be that bad could it?

Yoongi gnaws on his bottom lip for a second, then sighs. “Okay. But son, I’m only telling you this because sometimes life can do terrible things.”


	2. Then

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/45079735405)

“To Yoongi!” Everyone cheers, raising their drinks in the air. Sighing, I follow suit, only raising mine a bit. The bar around us was noisy, a million conversations going at once, and our cheer was lost in the sea of sound. I down my drink, slamming my glass on the table as the alcohol burns it’s way down my throat.

Namjoon pats my shoulder, his dimpled smile filling my vision as he leans in front of me. “Congrats, Yoongi.” He beams at me, no doubt the alcohol was already taking effect. “Only 20 and you’ve already landed a huge spot in the art gallery.”

“It takes most people years to be able to do that!” Hoseok pipes in. He leans back, the alcohol in his system causing him to mellow out a bit. “You’re so lucky, Yoongi. You’re a successful photographer, you’re attractive, and your pheromones are super strong.” He groans, rubbing his hands down his face. “It’s so unfair!”

“You’re a Beta, Hoseok. Why does it even matter to you how strong my pheromones are?” I cross my arms in front of me, pouting as I feel the start of a headache coming on. It always happens when I go to a place with too many other Alphas around, and judging by the amount of pheromones in the air, this bar was full of them. 

“Exactly, I’m a Beta!” He slams his fist on the table, frowning at me. “Do you know how hard it is to get noticed when you’re a Beta?”

“Super hard!” Jin answers from his spot tucked between Namjoon and Hoseok. He clings to Namjoon’s arm, his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder. His voice is sleepy when he continues, “Alphas are more focused on being with Omegas, so Betas are mostly left to be with other Betas.”

“And why is this a problem, Jin?” Hoseok prompted.

“Because the Beta population has been decreasing for years now,” he yawns, snuggling further into Namjoon’s side. “So it’s really hard for Betas to find another Beta to be with.”

“And there you have it ladies and gentlemen!” Hoseok yells, jumping up. He runs his hands through his hair, messing up the blonde locks. I roll my eyes at his theatrics, but let him be. If Hoseok wanted to rant in the middle of a crowded bar, I wouldn’t stop him.

I did feel bad for his situation. It was no secret that Betas were usually left to fend for themselves. Sometimes Alphas got into relationships with Betas, but it was rare. It was too bad. None of the Betas chose to be Betas, that’s just how they were born. Just like I didn’t choose to be an Alpha and Jin didn’t choose to be an Omega. 

Those were just the cards we were dealt. 

“Whatever,” Hoseok huffs. He slides back into the booth, the red leather creaking under him. “I’ve actually accepted that I’ll be alone my whole life.” He smiles, looking at the three of us. “I’m just going to rely on you guys!”

“What do you mean by that?” I ask, suspicious.

“Well I’m obviously never going to have a wedding or have children. So I’m going to have to live through you guys.” He points to the couple beside me, where Namjoon is stroking Jin’s hair as he dozes off. “These guys are already well on their way. But you,” he points to me, a pout forming on his lips. “You’re having a bit of a struggle, aren’t you?”

“I’m not,” I deny.

“Mhm. Then why are you alone? With how strong of an Alpha you are, there’s no way you wouldn’t be able to get a Beta. Yet,” he makes a show of looking around, “you’re all alone.”

“Isn’t that because he seems cold?” Namjoon asks, his voice quiet as he tries not to wake Jin. I don’t see the point, after all if he could sleep in this commotion, then Namjoon’s voice won’t even register in his brain. 

But then again, maybe it would. What did I know about mates anyway?

“Ding ding!” Hoseok chimes, clanking against his glass. “You’re correct, Namjoon!” He focuses back on me. “No one will come near you, Yoongi. Because you seem scary. And that my friend, is why you’re alone.”

“I don’t care.” 

It was a lie. I knew it and they knew it. 

I wanted to be loved just like everyone else, craved it even. Seeing how Jin and Namjoon were together, I wanted that for myself. 

But on the few occasions that I’d tried to pick someone up, the way I acted always scared them off. I didn’t mean to act distant or cold.

But I can’t change how I am.

“I need another drink,” I sigh. I start to raise my hand, looking around for a waitress. 

And that’s when I see him. 

I freeze, my hand stopping just barely over my head as I catch a glimpse of cotton-candy pink hair and tanned skin. 

He sits at the bar, a black sweater swallowing his upper body as he leans forward, his eyes squinting shut as he laughs at something the group around him must’ve said. He runs a hand through his hair, the pink locks gleaming under the lights of the bar.

My heart races in my chest as he makes eye contact with me, his dark eyes only accentuated by the pink makeup smudged around them. 

He flashes me a smile and I gasp in a breath.

He was the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. 

I drop my hand back into my lap and watch as the stranger crosses his arms on the bar in front of him. He leans forward, resting his cheek on his arms, never breaking eye contact with me.

I’m only faintly aware of my friends speaking around me, their voices faint as I stare at the stranger, and him back at me. There’s a whole building between us, but it feels like I can just reach out and touch him, like he’s right next to me.

He smirks and then his eyes are gone, his gaze hidden from me as he sits up and pushes his chair back. He hops down, his eyes once again finding mine. My heart thunders in my chest, my lungs forgetting how to work as I realize he’s going to come over here. 

His hips sway with each step he takes and I can’t help the way my eyes follow them. He makes his way over slowly, each movement deliberate as he smirks at me. 

The conversation stops as he approaches our table, my friends finally noticing his presence. He doesn’t seem to notice them though, or at least he doesn’t show that he does as his eyes stay trained on me. 

“Hey,” he says. His voice was all music, the type of song that I could listen to over and over and never get tired of it. “Can I tell you a wonderful thing?”

I nod, unable to make my voice work. 

“I, um, I can’t help but notice you’re staring at me.” I blush, embarrassed for being caught ogling him. 

“I’m sorry, I-”

“I know I shouldn’t say this.” He brushes his hair back, the lighting of the room giving his cheeks a slight red tint to them. “But I really believe, I can tell by your eyes that you’re in love with me.”

“Wha-” I can feel Namjoon and Hoseok’s stares burning into me, only working to further embarrass me. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s okay,” he beams at me, his smile cutting off my air supply. “If I minded, I wouldn’t have stared back.” He stretches his arm out, the sleeve of his sweater coming down to cover part of his palm. 

“My name’s Jimin.” He introduces himself, my palm burning where our skin meets. “And I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How are we feeling guys? Are you enjoying it? Are you excited to see where Yoongi and Jimin's story goes? 
> 
> Let me know!!! As always, thanks for reading guys <3


	3. Now

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/32120409708)

“What happened next, Daddy? What happened next?” Taehyung bounces around me, his eyes glimmering with excitement. He stands, throwing his little hands in the air. “I can’t wait to hear what happens next!”

“Sit down, Taehyung,” I advise. “You could fall.”

“No I won’t,” he giggles. Still he sits, leaning into my side once again. “If I started to fall, you’d just save me. Wouldn’t you, Daddy?” 

He stares up at me, absolute trust reflecting back from his dark eyes. I ruffle his hair, mussing up the pink locks. I pull him to me, pressing a quick kiss to his forehead. “Of course I would, Taehyungie.”

“Knock, knock,” Namjoon calls from the doorway, peeking his head in. 

“Uncle Joon!” Taehyung cries, shooting up. He crawls across the bed, jumping off the edge and into Namjoon’s waiting arms. 

“Taehyung!” Namjoon cries, squeezing the boy to him. He pulls him back, holding him under his armpits. “How is today’s special boy?”

Taehyung beams up at him and holds up six fingers. “I’m six today, Uncle Joon! I’m a big boy now!”

“Oh are you?”

“Mhm,” Taehyung states proudly. “I’m big enough that Daddy is telling me about Jimin!”

Namjoon freezes, his face going blank for a second. His eyes slide to me, taking in the box by my side and the picture still in my hand. He recovers quickly, plastering a smile on his face. “Really? You must be so excited to hear about him.” He sets Taehyung down, ruffling his already messed up hair. “You even have the same hair color as him.”

Taehyung pulls on a few of the strands, his tongue poking out as he tries to pull it far enough for him to see it. I can tell when he pulls too far because he winces slightly, letting the strands fall back against his forehead. He looks up at Namjoon. “Do you think he’d be happy if he saw it? Should we invite him to my party?” My heart crashes, my mind going blank. Namjoon must;ve had the same reaction, his smile faltering for just a brief second before it’s back in its previous spot. Taehyung continues, not even noticing our reaction. “I know it’s last minute, but he’d come if we asked right?” He turns to me, hopeful. “He’d come, right Daddy?”

I clench my fists, uncertainty wrapping around my heart. What do I do? Do I lie to keep him happy? Or do I tell him the truth and risk ruining his birthday?

“I don’t think he can come, TaeTae,” Namjoon beats me to the punch. 

Taehyung’s face falls, tears glistening in his eyes. “Why not?”

“We-well,” Namjoon looks to me, begging me to help him out a bit.

Sighing, I sit forward and stand. I walk to Taehyung and place my hand on his shoulder. I wipe away a stray tear that had creeped down his cheek. “Your dada is busy, Taehyung. That’s why he can’t be here.”

“What could he be so busy with that he can’t come to my birthday?” Taehyung huffs, stomping his foot. 

I give his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “He’s far away right now, but I’m sure he’s thinking of you.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I just know,” I say, smiling at him. “So don’t be too mad at him, okay? He wouldn’t want you to spend your birthday upset. Can you cheer up for us?”

Taehyung nods, sniffling a bit and rubbing his eyes to get rid of the tears there. 

Just there Jungkook bursts through the door, his eyes going wide when he sees Taehyung sniffling. He jumps between us, stretching his arms out and glaring at me. “What did you do to my Taehyung?”

“Kook,” Namjoon scolds. “You know we don’t talk to our elders like that.” 

Jungkook’s face falls and he stomps his foot. “But dad, he made Taehyung cry!”

“It’s okay, Kookie,” Taehyung whispers, resting his head on Jungkook’s shoulder. “They didn’t make me cry. Please don’t be mad at them.”

Jungkook watches us skeptically, way too suspicious for any six year old to be. He sighs, dropping his hands to his sides. “Okay.” He turns, cradling Taehyung’s cheeks in his hands. “Happy birthday, Taehyung!”

“We’re finally the same age now!” Taehyung cries, jumping up and down. He grabs Jungkook’s hand, pulling the boy behind him as he leaves the room, calling to me over his shoulder. “Kookie and I are gonna go play!”

I sink to the ground, leaning back against the bed. I put my face in my hands, groaning into them. Namjoon settles down next to me, bumping me lightly with his shoulder before speaking. “You know you’re going to have to tell him eventually.”

“I know,” I answer into my hands, my voice muffled. “But what do I tell him that won’t hurt him?”

“You’ll just have to tell him the truth.”

“But he’s so young and what if-” I suck in a deep breath, unable to continue my question. 

“What if what?” Namjoon asks gently, urging me on.

“What if….” I take a deep breath. “What if I’m not ready to talk about it?” My voice cracks on the last word.

“You’re just going to have to be strong.” He places his hand on my knee, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You’ve been so strong for him this whole time. I’m sure the last four years have been rough on you, but you never let it show. Jin and I are so proud of you and the way you’ve stepped up for Taehyung.” I peek out, lifting my head a bit to look at him when he pauses. He stares off into space for a few seconds, his jaw clenched. “But we’re also worried about you, Yoongi.”

“Worried about me? Why?”

“It’s been four years since he left us. And I don’t know if you ever really gave yourself a chance to feel it, to really feel the sadness that comes with something like that. Are you sure that you’re not just afraid to tell Taehyung because then you have to face your own feelings about it?”

Jin pops his head in the doorway, his hair in disarray. “Namjoon can you come help me for a second? Taehyung and Jungkook are being a little wild.”

Namjoon stands, laughing. “When aren’t they wild? Especially when they’re together.” He presses a kiss to Jin’s forehead, then looks back at me. “Take a minute, Yoongi. We can get the boys under control, then it’s time for cake.” 

“Thank you,” I say quietly. He nods, closing the door behind them. I drop my head back against the bed, staring up at the ceiling. 

“I wonder how you’re doing… Jimin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys probably have a lot of questions... or maybe you don't. 
> 
> No matter what, I hope you guys are enjoying this!


	4. Then

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/45079804035)

“So you’re telling me that you just nabbed the center spot for the biggest exhibition of the year?” Jimin leans over the table towards me, his eyes wide as his fingers tap the outside of his glass. 

I nod, settling back against the cracked leather. The bar had cleared out a bit, most of the patrons having headed home once the clock struck midnight. Namjoon, Jin, and Hoseok had been part of that crowd.

But not Jimin and I.

My friend’s had left hours ago, Namjoon carrying a sleeping Jin in his arms as he warned me against doing anything he wouldn’t. Even the group Jimin had come here with had come to say goodbye to him, claiming that they had an early class the next morning and advising him not to stay out too late.

But yet here we still were, sitting in this same greasy booth, the clock on the wall reading that it was almost four in the morning. 

And still neither of us made a move to leave. 

“That’s actually really great,” he breathes, bending down to look at me through the glass. The alcohol in it distorts the image, his eye now much bigger than the other one and I can’t help the laugh that escapes me. He pouts, sitting up. “What are you laughing at?”

“No-nothing,” I say, calming myself. “It’s just,” I sigh, leaning forward onto my palm. “You’re too cute.”

“I am not,” he pouts, his cheeks starting to darken. 

“Okay, okay.” I take a drink, smiling behind my glass. “So what are you doing here tonight, anyway?”

“Besides meeting the love of my life?” My heart skips a beat, my skin warming and I know if I could see them, my ears would be a brilliant shade of read. Jimin smiles at me mischievously, giving me a wink. 

I smack his arm lightly. “It’s not nice to tease people, you know?”

He laughs and I wish I could record that sound, record it and listen to it every second of every day. “I’m sorry, Yoongi. But you just make it far too easy.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I grumble. “So are you actually gonna tell me why you’re out tonight?”

“It’s to celebrate my birthday, actually.” He takes a sip of his drink, wrapping his lips around the straw seductively. I take a deep breath, trying to settle myself. It’s been a while since I’d been this close to an unmated Omega, or around any Omega that wasn’t Jin for that matter, and trying to keep my thoughts in the right place was proving… difficult. 

I clench my fists, averting my eyes from his lips. I clear my throat, “Oh, uh, Happy Birthday. I would’ve said it sooner but-”

“Don’t worry about it,” he chuckles, waving his hand. “It was actually a week ago, or I guess eight days since it’s passed midnight, but we were all really busy with classes so we couldn’t go out until now.”

“You guys keep saying that,” I point out. I lean forward, more interested in him than anyone else I’ve ever met. “What do you mean by classes? Are you guys in University?”

“We’re in dance school.”

“So you’re a dancer?”

“Well….. Not quite yet.” He stares off, his eyes far away as he thinks. I wait patiently and after a few seconds a lazy smile graces his face. “But it’s my dream. I want to be one of the greatest dancers in the world.” He blushes, immediately hiding his face. “I- I’m sorry. You must think I’m so silly, especially with a dream li-”

I lean forward, pressing my finger to his lips. I meet his eyes. “Never, and I mean never, be ashamed of your dreams or what you’re passionate about.” I sit back in my seat. “Besides, I’d be a pretty shitty love of your life if I judged you for just speaking your dream.”

Laughing, he falls forward. His face is resting against the table, his arms wrapped around his head as his body shakes with each laugh. A laugh like that was contagious and pretty soon we’re both bent over, tears running down our face as we laugh, the original reason we started laughing long forgotten. 

Eventually we calm down, each of us wiping the tears from our faces when Jimin finally speaks again. “Do you believe in fate, Yoongi?”

“Hm.” I rest my elbows on the table, twirling my fingers together as I think. Did I believe in fate? Was it fate that brought a love like Namjoon and Jin’s together? Was it fate that made Jimin so busy with classes that he had to put off his celebration until the same night of my own? “I didn’t before. But maybe-” I meet his eyes, smiling. “Maybe now I do.”

“I believe in fate or at least something like it,” he says, his fingers wrapping around mine. They were so small, barely able to reach around all of my fingers, but his touch soothed me regardless. His thumb traces circles against my skin absently, my eyes drawn to it as he continues. “Life is too wonderful to not believe in something bigger. To not believe that people are brought together for a reason, that love can span across multiple lifetimes if it’s deep enough. I believe in that, even if it’s not considered fate.” His thumb stops and I look up, meeting his eyes. “I believe in love.”

The bar is quiet, no voices or laughter echoing around us to take the weight out of his words. And that’s the first time it occurs to me:

Everyone else has left. Jimin and I are the only customers left in this store. Two complete strangers that had come here for two different reasons with seperate groups of people, we even sat on completely opposite ends of the building. But yet we were the only two left.

If fate, love, or whatever you want to call it was the reason for us sitting here, the most gorgeous man in the world holding my hand… 

Well then maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing to believe in.

Footsteps approach the table but we ignore them, only having eyes for each other at that moment. Until the newcomer clears their throat. “Excuse me.” I look up at the voice, met by the sight of one of the workers. “I’m sorry but we’re closing now. I’m going to have to ask you guys to leave.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Jimin cries. He pulls his hand away from mine and almost immediately I want to pull him back. But I don’t, instead following as he stands and apologizes once again to the girl. I give her a tip, apologizing for the trouble, and follow Jimin out the door. 

The cool night air, nips the tip of my nose as I step outside. I shrug on my jacket, popping the collar up to protect my neck from the cold. Frost hung in the air, the seasons confused as to whether it was fall or winter anymore, my breath coming out in little clouds. 

I watch as Jimin wraps a scarf around his neck, the fluffy material bunched up so it hid his mouth. How it didn’t tickle him was beyond me, but it made him look adorable. And it made knowing we had to part even more painful. 

He meets my eyes as he finishes, stepping closer to me. He shoves his hands in his pockets, swaying from side to side slowly. It was almost morning and freezing, but yet we were both reluctant to move from that spot. It wasn’t until I saw a splotch of red appear on Jimin’s nose, and no doubt own my own, that I decided it was time to go.

“We should do this again,” I say, hopeful. While it had seemed that tonight had been amazing for both of us, I couldn’t push down the fear I had that he would say no, say that this meant nothing to him. 

“I’d love that.” He smiles, taking another step closer to me. He grabs my hand, pushing something in the palm of it. “Until next time, Yoongi.”

And then he’s gone, his hips swaying as he walks away from me, not even glancing back. I stand there for a moment, watching him. And I don’t move until he’s turned the corner, the last trail of his scarf disappearing. 

I look down at my hand, smiling at the piece of paper in it. I had no idea when he had thought to write it, but I was glad he did.

**Let’s believe in love  
(xxx)xxx-xxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> are you guys as much of a mess as I am? I'm so excited to see where this goes!!!!


	5. Now

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/32120409708/in/dateposted-public/)

I sit there for a while, staring up at the ceiling as I remember that first night. Here I was, nine years later, and I could still remember that night so clearly. The feeling of his skin when he passed me his number, the sound of his laugh when I stumbled over my greeting. All the things that used to make my heart race. But now it just ached, the pain swallowing me until I’m not sure where it starts and where I end. Maybe that’s all I was now: Pain. 

If I had known back then what I do now, how it all would end up, would I still catch Jimin’s eye? Would I have ignored him if he came over to talk to me? Or would I have just not gone out with my friends that night?

Taehyung’s laughter filters in from downstairs and I know my answer. 

No matter the cost, no matter the pain, I would still do it all over again.

Because even if it was for a short period of time, Jimin had given me all that I ever wanted: love, acceptance, a family. 

I just wish I could’ve given him everything that he wanted.

I push through the pain, my surroundings coming back into focus as I push myself to my feet. Moving around the bed, I start to gather up the photos Taehyung had removed and place them back in the box. I set the lid back on top and stare at it for a moment, the all too familiar dread sinking in my stomach as I seal away our memories and any traces of the happiness that once was. 

I leave it on the bed, knowing there’s no use in hiding it since Taehyung already knows about it, and leave my room, closing the door softly behind me. 

Music fills my ears as I descend the stairs, a smile pulling at my lips when I see the source of it. Taehyung is swaying in the center of the living room, his toy microphone raised to his mouth as he serenades Jungkook, who watches him with an awe-struck expression. 

I stop at the bottom of the stairs, watching them for a moment as uneasiness swirls in my stomach. Right now, they were young and happy. But soon they were grow older and their places would be chosen. Jungkook was an Alpha, his pheromones predicted be almost as strong as mine when he gets older. But Taehyung, he was an Omega - another thing he inherited from Jimin. 

I just hoped that it didn’t put a strain on their relationship. 

The songs ends, Jungkook’s little hands clapping as Taehyung beams at him, his face filled with pride. He notices me, dropping the microphone and dashing towards me. “Daddy!” he wraps his arms around my waist, looking up at me. “Did you hear me? Was I good?”

“I did, I did.” I run my fingers through his hair, smiling fondly at him. “You were amazing, Taehyungie.”

He gives me one last smile before rushing back into the living room, now taking his spot on the floor as Jungkook holds the microphone. The music starts, the soft notes fading as I walk to the kitchen. The room is bright, the sun glinting off all the stainless steel appliances in the room. It was a very modern look, one that Jimin had picked out when we first designed the house.

Jin and Namjoon are sitting at the table when I walk in, their heads shooting up when I enter. I take a seat next to Namjoon and he slides me a mug. “Why do you guys look like you were just caught talking about me?” I take a sip, my tongue burning from the coffee as they exchange a glance. That was the one thing I hated about mates, you always felt left out of the conversation.

“Namjoon was just telling me… that you started talking to Taehyung about him.” 

I meet Jin’s pity filled gaze over the edge of my cup. Frustration builds in my chest. “You can say his name, Jin. I’m not going to break.” My words come out harsher than I mean them to, Jin’s eyes dropping back to the table as he feels the sting of them. Namjoon looks at me, his disapproval clear in his eyes. I sigh, my voice softer when I speak this time. “Taehyung found the box and the photos. What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t lie to him.”

Jin grabs my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I think you’re doing the right thing. He’s at the age where he starts to notice that type of stuff. He was going to start asking questions eventually.”

Namjoon leans back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the table. “Plus wasn’t this the year that you were supposed to start opening the-”

“Don’t mention those,” I bite out, cutting him off.

He holds his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, my bad.” An awkward silence fills the room for a few moments, none of us really knowing what to say. Namjoon is the first to break the silence, sighing loudly. “I know you don’t want to talk about it, Yoongi. But eventually you’re going to have to come to terms with the fact that he’s not here. You can’t keep doing thi-”

“I’ll do it. I swear I will. Just please,” My voice cracks, tears blurring my vision. “Don’t make me think about it right now.”

Jin rushes to my side, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. “You can’t push him so far, Joon,” he whispers angrily. “Would you be able to just deal with it if I was gone?” Namjoon doesn’t offer him an answer, his silence speaking for him. “I didn’t think so.” 

Jin turns me to look at him, his hand coming up to wipe a stray tear that had rolled down my face. “We don’t understand your pain, so it was wrong of him to tell you how to deal with it.” He places his hands on my cheeks. “You just do what you need to do and we’ll support you no matter what.” He glares at Namjoon over my shoulder. “Won’t we, Namjoon?”

“You know I didn’t mean it li-”

“Won’t we?”

“Yes, we will,” Namjoon grumbles.

I pull back, trying to regain my composure. It wasn’t often that I let my walls down and sitting here without them, my friends watching me with pity, felt wrong. I thank Jin, giving him a small nod of my head. He grins, patting my head like a child. Standing, he brushes off his knees. “Now,” he puts his hands on his hips, “Who wants cake?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are we still having a good time? 
> 
> What do you guys think Namjoon was going to say?


	6. Then

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/45991451661)

“I hear the photographer is really young.”

“Oh my gosh, me too. Maybe he’s here tonight? I wonder what he looks like.”

“Based off his art, I bet he’s one of those bleeding heart types.”

The girls beside me continue to chatter away, both of them oblivious to the fact that the photographer, me, was standing right next to them. I’ve been standing here awhile, feeling out of place and very unlike myself in the suit that clung to my body. I wouldn’t have worn it but Namjoon shoved it at me, all the while nagging me about how I couldn’t show up to an event like this in my leather jackets and black jeans. 

I lean back against the wall, giving myself a second to relax. Footsteps approach me, my best friend settling in beside me. “They’re cutting the cake down on the first floor if you wanna go get some.” Namjoon gestures to the little corner I’ve taken residence in for the night. “It might do you some good to see a little more of the exhibit. Get out of this corner and socialize a bit.”

“I hate crowds.” 

“I know,” he sighs. I don’t have to look at him to know he’s frowning at my words, but I can’t help it. Everyone had things that caused them anxiety, mine just happened to be large crowds. Namjoon slaps me on the shoulder, squeezing it gently. “But this is your day, Yoongi. Everyone’s here to see your art, now they’re just wondering about the man behind it.”

“Well maybe they can stay guessing,” I scoff. “It’s not like they really want to know me anyway. They’re just coming up with their own idea of me from the photo. When I don’t live up to it, they’ll just be disappointed. So really I’m saving them.”

“I knew you’d say something like that.” 

I look up at him, narrowing my eyes when I see him smiling at me. “What’s that face for?”

“Oh nothing. Nothing at all,” he sings, that aggravating smile still in its place. “I may have ordered just the thing to get you out of your shell, though.”

“What did you-”

“I’m here! I’m sorry I’m late, practice ran late and then I couldn’t decide what to wear.” I turn towards the voice, my mouth dropping open. Jimin stands there - his soft pink locks wind blown and cheeks flushed as he bends over, his chest heaving with labored breaths. He straightens, my mind going blank at the sight of him. He’s wearing a dark suit, the outfit seeming tailored just for him. It clings to his form, outlining the muscles in his arms when he gives me a shy wave. “I hope I didn’t miss anything.”

I open my mouth, but my mind can’t seem to come up with any words. Luckily Namjoon speaks up, saving me from looking even more like a fool. 

“Nothing at all. In fact, now that you’re here maybe the party will finally start.” He gestures towards me. “I haven’t been able to get him out of this corner all night, but we all know he likes you more than me, so maybe he’ll listen to you.”

Jimin laughs, the sound music to my ears. “Well I’m not so sure about that, but I’ll try.” He turns to me, holding out his hand and giving me his best puppy-dog eyes. “Will you show me around, Yoongi?”

I place my hand in his, intertwining our fingers. I step away from the wall, smiling at him. “Now how am I supposed to say no to a face like that?” 

Jimin blushes and Namjoon groans at our interaction. “Yes well, if you’ll excuse me, I have my own mate to get back to,” he excuses himself, throwing us a wave over his shoulder.

“We’re not mates,” I yell after him, a few heads turning in my direction. I ignore them, all my attention on the beautiful creature in front of me. I let go of Jimin’s hand, offering him my arms instead. “Shall we?”

I try to hide to happiness I feel when he grabs my arm, but a smile works its way onto my lips regardless. I lead him away from my photo, intending to save it for last.

We enter a dark room, the normally vacant space transformed to look like a forest at night. The ceiling glitters like starlight, grass crunching under our feet as we make our way through the trees. A spotlight shines, illuminating the main attraction of this particular piece of art. An animatronic girl sits in the center of the trees, her knees pulled up to her chest. Her blue dress is in tatters, a bright yellow blindfold tied around her eyes. Her head moves back and forth, as if looking for someone, anyone, who could help her.

But for her, help never comes. 

“It’s so sad,” Jimin breathes, his voice filled with awe. He squeezes my arm tighter, his hand coming to rest on his chest. 

“It’s pain. The theme of the exhibit is pain,” I explain, my eyes still on the girl. To me, this was the highlight of pain - the loneliness, the hope that someone will save you, the crushing feeling of defeat that comes when you realize that no one will. Between my photo and this exhibit, I wasn’t sure why mine was the centerpiece and this wasn’t. 

“That makes sense,” is all Jimin says before tugging me back through the trees, the sound of bugs and crunching grass fading as we make our way back into the brightly-lit hallways of the museum. We make our way through the exhibits, Jimin claiming each one was his favorite.

We come to a large crowd, my heart kicking up a notch. “What is this? Why’s there so many people?”

“It’s the centerpiece,” I hiss out, feeling my palms growing sweaty. I didn’t want to go through that crowd. Maybe Jimin didn’t even want to-

He turns to me, his eyes wide and dancing with excitement. “Does that mean that it’s your piece?” He bounces from foot to foot, unable to hide his excitement. “I can’t wait to see it.”

Well damn, if Jimin wanted to see the piece, then there was no way I could back down from it. I swallow, clenching my fists as I lead us towards the crowd. I push through the throngs of people, giving quiet apologies and ”excuse me”s to the people we jostle. We break through to the front and I hear Jimin gasp as he takes his first look at my contribution to the exhibit. 

Glass steps surround it, leading up to a platform, leaves littering the bottom of it - the edges of them blackened as they shrivel up and die. Iron bars are wrapped around the frame, clinging to the edges of it like vines, the black metal gleaming under the bright lights of the museum.

The picture is done in monochrome, matching the decoration perfectly. A woman stands behind frosted glass, her hair damp and a tangled mess as the dark locks cascade down to cover half of her face. Her hands cup her cheeks, her eyes closed as a single tear tracks down her dirt-caked face. The center of the window is unfrosted, her breath thawing it as she prayed for the pain to end. 

I had taken this photo at the request of someone else, the very subject of the photo. She had been suffering with crippling depression, a mental illness that she kept well hidden from most of the people in her life. She asked me to take these to help her, to assist in showing people what she saw when she looked in the mirror. 

And that’s how the photo got its title “Behind The Glass”.

“Wow,” Jimin finally speaks up, his words nothing but a whisper. “This… this is beautiful, Yoongi.” I just shrug, my eyes still glued to the picture. It was a deeply personal one, showing the deepest struggles of this woman. When the museum first approached me about displaying it, I didn’t feel right about it. It seemed wrong to put her pain on display, to show it off for the world. It was only when she said it was okay, that she was in fact glad that it finally got the chance to be seen by more people, that I felt okay enough to let them feature it.

“Who is she?” Jimin asks me quietly.

“She’s someone strong,” is all I say. It seems to be enough for him as he doesn’t ask anymore questions. He leans his head on my shoulder, the scent of strawberries tickling my nose. It eases my nerves, the chatter of the crowd fading to a dull tin in the background as just for a moment, I forget about them and imagine it was just Jimin and I here, enjoying my art together.

We stand like that for a little while, Jimin’s head resting on my shoulder as we stare at the pain before us. When he lifts his head, I pout a bit, already missing the smell of strawberries and the reassuring weight of his head on my shoulder. He tugs on my arm, leading us from the crowd and toward an empty table. 

He flags down one of the staff, grabbing us each a piece of cake from the tray before thanking them. He plops a piece down in front of me, giving me a smile that I can’t help but return. “I think you deserve a piece of cake, after all you are the star of tonight’s show.”

I take a small bite, the taste of vanilla filling my mouth. I could get used to coming to these events, even if only for the cake. 

I’m chewing on my next bite when Jimin finally speaks, his question almost making me choke.

“Why didn’t you call me, Yoongi?”

I cough, slapping my chest as I try to get my breath back. When my breath evens out, I drop my eyes to the table. “I was going to, I swear.”

“It’s been two months.”

I sigh, running my hands down my face. “I know, I know.” 

“And then I get a call from Namjoon, asking me to come here tonight.” I look up, my heart breaking at the sadness on his face. “I was hoping it was you.”

“I just… I didn’t know how to say what I feel like I need to say. I’d pick up the phone, dial your number, and then just put it back down,” I admit. I bite my lip, gnawing on it as Jimin watches me from across the table. 

“So say it right now.”

“Right now?”

He nods, leaning towards me. “I’ll sit here patiently until you get put it into words. Even if it takes all night.”

“Words really aren’t my thing,” I sigh. “Photography is really the only thing I can use to express myself.”

“Then imagine it as a piece of art. You’ve been explaining the pieces to me all night, the feelings behind them and the way they fit into the theme. Just do that with your own feelings. Imagine it as a piece of art that you need to explain to me.”

I nod, uncertain that it would work. But that doesn’t mean that I wasn’t willing to try. I close my eyes, trying to imagine how my feelings would translate into a photo.

I remember that first night at the bar, the way Jimin would double over when he laughed too hard. The way his eyes turned into crescent moons when he smiles. I take a mental snapshot of that moment, analyzing the feelings I had at that moment.

“Warmth,” I say, still keeping my eyes closed. “The theme is warmth.” I remembered the way my skin warmed when I shook his hand. “You’re warm, Jimin. Your smile, your personality, it gives that feeling of warmth, of safety, of home.” I clench my fists on the table, squeezing my eyes shut tighter. “But I’m not warm, Jimin. I’m distant and cold, I’m not good with feelings. But yet I feel so much for you. So much that it scares me. So much that I couldn’t even bring myself to call the one person in this world that I actually wanted to let in for once.”

Fingers wrap around my own, the familiar warmth dancing along my skin as Jimin opens my fist and twines our fingers together. I open my eyes slowly, anxious to see his reaction.

He’s smiling at me softly, his chin resting in his palm as he gazes at me, his eyes like melted chocolate. “So basically what you’re saying is that you like me so much, you got scared?” I nod. “Well, you’re not the only one. I spent all night terrified that at any point you would tell me to leave, that you didn’t feel this like I did.”

“I wouldn’t-”

“Stop that now,” he cuts me off. “As for the rest of it: do you feel this?” He squeezes my hand. I nod. “You say I feel like warmth, like home. Well right now, when I hold your hand, that’s what I feel.” He glances at our hands, then back up to meet my eyes. “I don’t think you’re cold or distant, or whatever crap anyone else has used as an excuse before. They clearly didn’t understand what type of person you are. But I do.” He leans across the table, his eyes bearing into mine. “I know what type of person you are. And I want it. I want you.” He leans back in his chair, throwing me a smirk as he asks the question that would start the best, and worst, story of my life.

“So how about it?”


	7. Now

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/32120409708/in/dateposted-public/)

I set the cake in front of Taehyung, the candlelight dancing across his tanned skin. He smiles at me, my heart aching when his eyes turn into the all too familiar crescent moons. It seems like just yesterday I was like this with Jimin, him smiling at me as a piece of cake sat between us, his hand in mine as I told him how I felt for the first time. 

I force a smile on my face, shoving thoughts of him out of my head. I couldn’t be sad today, couldn’t afford to be. 

Today was Taehyung’s day.

Jungkook, seated across from Taehyung, taps on the table as his voice carries through the kitchen, everyone eventually joining in to sing, “Happy birthday, dear Taehyung. Happy Birthday to you.”

The kitchen goes silent, Taehyung just sitting as we all stare at him. A moment passes and he still hasn’t blown out the candles. I crouch down next to him, “What’s wrong, Tae? You don’t wanna make a wish?”

“What if I wish and it doesn’t come true?” He whispers back, his eyebrows furrowing as he frowns. 

I run my hand through his hair, giving him my best attempt at a comforting smile. “Not every wish comes true, Tae. Some do, some don’t. But that’s what makes them special, don’t you think?” He watches me, his eyes wiser than his six years. Taehyung had always seemed more mature for his age, like his brain was an adult but his body hadn’t understood that yet. Finally he nods, his frown easing up a bit. “That’s a good boy,” I say, smiling brightly at him. “Now blow out your candles.”

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, his tiny shoulders rising. He blows out, every flame extinguishing. Applause fills the room, cheers of congratulations sounding out as everyone smiles.

But not Taehyung.

His eyes are still closed, his forehead creasing as if he’s deep in thought. I watch him for a moment, worry filling me. But before I can say anything, his eyes pop open, his smile once again gracing his cheeks.

I press a kiss to the top of his head, a giggle bursting out of him. “What’d you wish for?”

“I can’t tell you right now, Daddy. Or it definitely won’t come true.”

Then he’s up, running around the table to slide into a chair next to Jungkook and leaving me standing there. 

As Jin passes out the cake the front door opens and closes, a bright voice flowing into the kitchen. “Where’s my special boy? I know he’s here…”

Hoseok pokes his head in the kitchen, a smile lighting up his face. Taehyung jumps up, running and jumping into his arms. “Uncle Hoseok!”

Hoseok cradles him to his chest, swinging him back and forth as he tries to keep Taehyung’s icing-smeared cheeks from touching his shirt. “Hey babes.” 

I get up from my chair and make my way towards them. I lean against the wall, crossing my arms. “You’re late.”

He gives me a sheepish smile, setting Taehyung back on his feet and watching as he scurries back to his seat. “I know,” he sighs. “My practice ran late this morning and then I had to shower. Anyways, I’m here now.” He places his hand on my cheek, watching me closely. “You seem upset, is everything okay?”

I step back, moving out reach. Pain flashes in his eyes but he doesn’t complain as he drops his hand back to his side. 

Hoseok never complains.

Sometimes I wish he would. 

“I’m fine,” is all I say. Turning away from him, I watch as Jungkook smears icing on Taehyung’s cheek, the white streak a great contrast to his skin as he giggles and retaliates, a line of purple going across Jungkook’s nose. 

“Shouldn’t you stop them?” Hoseok pipes up beside me.

“I don’t have to.”

“What do you mean?”

“3…..2…..”

“Boys you better stop that, right now!” Jin chastises them. He stands behind Jungkook, wet rag in hand, a frown etched on his face. “Kookie, do we play with our food and make a mess at home?”

Jungkook freezes, his smile fading. He tilts his head back, his eyes filled with guilt when he mutters a quiet, “No, Dada. We don’t.”

“Then why did you think it would be appropriate to do here?”

“I’m sorry,” Jungkook apologizes, hanging his head.

Jin huffs, a small smile lifting the corner of his lips. He crouches between the two boys, rubbing the cloth gently over their skin. “It’s okay. As long as you understand.”

“Wow, you’re good,” Hoseok breathes next to me. “How’d you know?”

“Jin would never let them make that much of a mess and get away with it.” I laugh, watching as Taehyung squirms when Jin cleans his face. “He has like super-dad senses. Knows immediately when they’re doing something bad.”

I push away form the wall, clapping my hands to get the room’s attention. “Who’s ready for presents?”

Taehyung jumps out his chair, his hands clapping excitedly. “Presents?”

“Of course,” I smile, holding out my hand. He runs to me, his little hand holding mine as I lead him to the living room. “Sit on the couch,” I instruct him. “And we’ll go through each one, okay?” He sits, nodding quickly. “Okay, so let’s-”

“Mine first!” Hoseok chimes, skipping over - a bright, yellow box clutched in his hands. “I know you’ll just love it, Taehyung.” 

He places the box in Taehyung’s lap, who doesn’t waste even a second before he starts ripping the paper off. He rips the final piece off, his mouth dropping open as he stares at the box in front of him - a picture of a camera stamped on the box. 

“It’s just a training one of course,” Hoseok says. “But I know you’ve been interested in photography, so I thought you could use a real camera.”

Taehyung hugs the box, “Thank you, Uncle Hoseok.” He turns to me, his smile as bright as I’ve ever seen it. “Now I can be just like you, Daddy!”

Warmth fills my chest, a smile breaking across my face. “Yeah, I guess you can.”

“Well I don’t know if we can follow that,” Jin laughs, leaning into Namjoon’s side. “But we have a gift for you too, of course.” Namjoon comes forward, a thin black rectangle held in his hands, a red bow stuck to the top of it. He sets it down in Taehyung’s lap, ruffling his hair as he stands. “We hope you like it.”

Taehyung undoes the clasps on the case, lifting the lid as his brows crease. He pulls out a piece of paper, a little saxophone stamped on the page. “What is it?”

“Taehyung,” I say, warningly. “Don’t be rude.”

“It’s okay,” Namjoon laughs. “We knew he’d ask.”

“We bought you a saxophone,” Jin explains. “It’s being cleaned and prepared for you, so we couldn’t bring it today. But that case is supposed to carry it, it should be ready any time in the next few days. Your dad just has to take to pick it up.”

“You bought me a saxophone?” Taehyung cries, jumping up from his seat. He runs to them, throwing his arms around their legs. “Thank you! Thank you!”

Jin pats him on the head, “You’re welcome, Tae.”

He releases them, his little feet bringing him to my side. He grabs the bottom of my shirt, tugging it. “Can we go get it, Dad? Can we? Can we?”

I swing him up into my arms, “It’s not ready yet, babes. But I promise as soon as it is, we’ll go get it.” That seems to appease him, his body relaxing as I set him back on the couch.

“I, uh, I have a present,” Jungkook mutters, stepping forward. A little, blue box is cradled in his palms. He hangs back for a moment, more nervous than I’ve ever seen him. 

Jin pats him on the back, pushing him forward, “Go on then, honey. I’m sure Tae would love to see what you got him.”

Jungkook moves slowly, his eyes on the floor as he makes his way to the couch where Tae sits. He hands the box to him, giving him a shy smile. “Here you go, Tae.”

Taehyung pulls the paper off gently, as if afraid to harm what’s underneath it. A velvety box rests in his palm, the color a deep, dark blue. He lifts the lid, plucking two bracelets from inside. I move closer, getting a better look at them. They’re obviously homemade, little beads strung across the elastic, alternating in each of the boy’s favorite colors - black, grey, black, grey. In the middle are white blocks, the red letters on them spelling out “Taekook.”

Taehyung stands silently, grabbing Jungkook’s hand. He slides the bracelet onto the older boy before sliding his own on. He places their wrists side by side, grinning. “We match, Kookie.”

My heart aches as I watch them, wishing that they could stay like this the rest of their lives - safe, happy, together. 

But life doesn’t always work out the way you want. 

Taehyung pulls on my pant leg, getting my attention. “Do you have a present for me, Daddy?”

I think of the box upstairs, the hundreds of photos in it. And what lays below those. “I’ll give you mine later, if that’s okay with you.”

“Why?” He doesn’t seem upset, just curious as he stares up at me. 

“I think you should hear the whole story first.”

He perks up, his eyes going bright. “Then it has to do with my other dad? With Jimin?” I nod. “Then tell me the rest!”

“Maybe we should wait for your guests to leave.”

“We’d actually like to hear it,” Jin says, settling on the couch and pulling Jungkook up on his lap. “If you don’t mind us staying, of course.”

Namjoon sits beside him, his hand reaching for Jin’s, as if the action is second nature for him. I envy them and the bond they share.

The bond that Jimin and I once shared. 

“I didn’t even know that you were telling him,” Hoseok pouts, plopping down into one of Taehyung’s bean bag chairs. “You haven’t spoken about Jimin since-”

I glare at him, cutting off his words. He takes the hint, saying no more on the matter. Sighing, I sink into the recliner, waiting patiently as Taehyung climbs up into my lap, wiggling around until he gets comfortable. “Are you ready?”

He nods frantically, his eyes wide as he looks up at me. I can feel all the eyes in the room on me, feel their curiosity, their concern. I take a deep breath, letting the memories come back to me again. 

“December 31st, nine years ago..”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! 
> 
> It's been a hot minute since I updated, right? My bad! I've been sick and dealing with a lot of things in irl that kept me from writing...
> 
> BUT FRET NOT MY LOVELIES for I am back and ready to give you even more chapters!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this one! Let me know what you think so far! I love hearing from you guys!


	8. Then

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/45991481041)

“Come on, Yoongs! You gotta get into the partying spirit,” Hoseok whines, clinging onto my side. He’s spent the majority of the night there, his clinginess agitating Jimin - who clung to my other side, shooting glares at my over-excited friend whenever he interrupted our conversation. 

People mingle all around us, status momentarily forgotten in the haze of the party. Alpha, Omega, or Beta, just for this small amount of time it didn’t matter. Drinks are passed around, laughs ringing out around the courtyard of Hoseok’s house. He was really lucky that he lived out in the middle of nowhere or else someone definitely would’ve called the police to shut down our party. 

“It’s almost midnight, Hoseok,” I grumble, shaking him off. “I don’t want to party, I want to sleep.” I suddenly envied Namjoon and Jin and their all to convenient visit to Jin’s parent’s place. 

I would’ve given anything to get out of attending this party, but Jimin wanted to come and somehow I just couldn’t tell him no.

“But it’s New Years,” he mumbles, his words barely slurring despite the fact that I know he’s probably pretty close to being black-out drunk. 

“Exactly,” I sigh, running my free hand down my face in agitation. “Who even decided that New Years was the holiday where everyone should stay up super late and get wasted?”

“I don’t know, but I wish I did so I could thank them,” he giggles. He looks to Jimin, giving him his best puppy-dog eyes. “Jiminnnn, get him to relax, please? He likes you the most.”

I feel Jimin puff up beside me, much like he always did when someone mentioned how fond I was of him. A cocky smile lifts his lips, “Of course he does, he’s my boyfriend.” A rush of warmth fills me at the word. It’s only been a short amount since we started dating, but the word still sent a rush through me. Jimin rests his head on my shoulder, his pink-locks tickling my cheek as they sway in the breeze. “And because he’s my boyfriend-” there’s that word again, “-I know that he really isn’t one for parties.” Hoseok pouts, his confidence in Jimin persuading me swaying. “But,” Jimin smiles mischievously, “that doesn’t mean that I won’t try.”

Hoseok beams, jumping up in excitement. “I knew that I could count on you, Jimin!” He smacks Jimin on the shoulder, laughing as he disappears into the crowd and leaves us alone.

I step away from Jimin, raising a brow. “So you’re gonna get me to loosen up, huh?”

He twines our fingers togethers, giving my hand a soft squeeze. “Maybe, maybe not. Mostly I just said it to get him to go away. I love Hoseok, but sometimes he can be a little much.”

“You’re telling me,” I sigh. I knew more than anyone that Hoseok could come off a bit strong. After all, he was loud and basically a human ball of sunshine - always jumping from one place to another, brightening the room he was in. Sometimes being around him was exhausting, and not everyone understood that feeling. I’m glad that Jimin did.

But then again, Jimin seemed to understand more than anyone I’ve ever met. Even more than Namjoon, and that was saying a lot since we’ve been friends since we were kids.

Jimin tugs on my hand, leading me deeper into the party. Music pounds through the yard, the bodies around us moving to the music. I didn’t know the song, couldn’t even concentrate enough to be able to listen to it, at least not with Jimin’s hand in mine. A shoulder crashes into me, an elbow pokes into Jimin’s side in front of me, but still he pushes on, not faltering a bit or paying the people around us any attention. 

We break through the edge of a crowd, a sigh of relief escaping me. Jimin squeezes my hand again, a small act of comfort. He leads me forward, towards what must have been our destination this whole time - the bar. 

“I can’t believe he actually has a full bar at his party,” Jimin laughs in awe. We take two seats at the end of the bar, leaving the only other people sitting to be on the whole other side of it from us. I rest my arms on the top, the black granite cool under my arms.

“Yeah, he likes to go all out for his parties,” I say simply, waving to the bartender. He stops in front of me and I speak before he even has a chance to ask, “I’ll have an Irish bomb, please. And he’’ll have-”

“A whole bottle of champagne, please,” Jimin says, cutting me off.

My jaw drops open and I whip towards him. “You can’t drink a whole bottle of champagne by yourself.”

“I can, I have, and I would again,” he laughs. “But you’re here so I thought we could share it after you finish your ‘manly’ drink.” 

“Well… I guess that’s okay.” The bartender returns, setting my drink down in front of me. He sets 2 champagne glasses down in between us, his eyes watching Jimin curiously as he pours the sparkling liquid into one of them.

I didn’t like that look. At all. 

My grip tightens around the glass, my knuckles turning white. I could feel the growl rising in my throat as the man continued to ogle Jimin, _my_ Jimin. 

As if sensing my unease, Jimin places his hand on mine, rubbing soothing circles over the skin. The bartender’s eyes flashed to our hands then back to the glass he was filling, never once straying to Jimin again. A sense of satisfaction filled me. I liked knowing that people knew Jimin was mine and I, in turn, was his. 

Without another word or glance at either of us, he leaves, manning his spot back in the middle of the bar. 

“You’re gonna have a lot of trouble if you growl at everyone who looks at me,” Jimin giggles. 

“I wasn’t going to-”

He leans forward, his face only a few inches from my own. My breath hitches in my throat, my brain going blank. “Relax,” he breathes. “Possessiveness looks good on you.” My face flames, no doubt my cheeks were now a bright red. Jimin flashes me a smile and leans back, my lungs starting to work again. “So,” he says, taking a sip of his drink. “How can Hoseok afford this?” He gestures to everything around us - the DJ that was blasting music somewhere; the bright, colorful lights that illuminated the party; the waiters; the bar that we were currently sitting at. “Seems pretty elaborate for someone his age.”

“Yeah, I guess it is,” I laugh. I down my drink, the taste of it bitter on my tongue as it burns its way down my throat. Warmth settles in my stomach, working it’s way into my limbs. It would take much more than just that one drink to get me drunk, but I took comfort in the way it took the edge off my anxiety at being here. I grab the extra champagne glass, pulling it to me as I answer his question. “Hoseok’s parents are really wealthy. He doesn’t talk about them much. I don’t think they get along very well. I’ve asked him about it once and all he told me was that they were well off, but didn’t really hang around much. They went on vacations and business trips, but never took him with them.”

“That’s so sad,” Jimin whispers.

I shrug my shoulders, taking a drink. “We all have a past. He’s come to terms with it, actually kind of prefers the fact that they ignore him. Apparently most people who have a Beta child abandon them. But they didn’t, they let him do as he pleases and gives him more than enough money to get by.”

“But that’s not the same thing…”

“I know. But if he’s happy, then I’m not gonna bother him about it,” I sigh, tracing my finger around the rim of my glass. “But if you ask me, I think that’s why he’s so clingy sometimes. He’s looking for someone to give him the attention he desperately craves. And his cheerfulness? I think deep down, he’s hiding the fact that he really doesn’t feel all that bright.”

Silence passes between us, the sounds of the party around of fading into the background. 

“You seem to know him really well,” Jimin finally says, his voice quiet. I glance at him, worried. He stares into his empty glass, his lips pushed into a pout. 

I grab the champagne bottle, refilling his drink for him. “I’ve had years to get to know him,” I explain.

“Do you think you’ll get to know me that well?”

“Well we have forever so yeah.” The words just slip out before I can really think about what I’m saying. My cheeks warm, my stomach dropping as I stutter. “I- I mean, uh-”

His hands grab my cheeks, turning my head toward him. Our eyes meet, my heart thudding in my ears - fading out the yelling of the crowd. Jimin leans forward, so close that I’m sure he can hear the frantic pounding of my heart.

Behind us, the crowd counts down.

“3!”

His eyes glance down towards my lips, his tongue sneaking out to lick his own. My breath hitches in my throat.

“2!”

I can feel the warmth of his breath, the familiar scent of strawberries tickling my nose. My head feels fuzzy, Jimin’s closeness more intoxicating than any liquor.

“1!”

He leans in, closing the last bit of distance between us, my mind going blank…

“Happy New Years!”

He kisses me, fireworks exploding around us. Were they in my head? Or did Hoseok have actual fireworks at this party? Jimin cradles my face, his hands gentle as he tugs me closer. My hands move on their own, my fingers tangling in his hair. The crowds cheering dies down, the booming of the fireworks dying off as Jimin pulls away from me. 

Our breath mingles in the small space between us, turning to little clouds in the cool winter air. Jimin smiles, his eyes bright. His hands still cradle my face, his thumbs rubbing absently across my cheeks. He presses our foreheads together, his words a whispered promise between us.

“Forever sounds great.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are we living guys? 
> 
> How are we holding up? Where do you think things will go from here? 
> 
> I wanna know your thoughts!!!
> 
> As always, I hope you guys enjoyed!


	9. Then

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/32120505038)

I rub my eyes, the glare from the screen in front of me stinging my eyes. I looked to the clock beside me, watching at the numbers changed - the red numbers reading 1:23 am. 

“Happy birthday to me,” I grumble, once again trying to rub the tiredness from my eyes. 

Ever since my piece was included in the exhibition in November requests had been coming nonstop - even now, over three months later. Some wanted to buy the pictures I’d already taken, others wanted me to photograph them. This is the busiest I’ve been in my entire life, my sleep schedule stretched thin as I try to meet every deadline and still keep the quality of my work high.

Which is why I’m where I am now, in the wee hours of the morning of my birthday, still working.

The door behind me unlatches, a soft voice breaking me from my focus. “Come to bed, Yoongi. You need to rest.”

I ignore Jimin, not even turning towards him as I continue working on the photo in front of me. It was of a small child, their face alight with delight as they played. Her parents had come to me a few weeks ago, asking me to photograph her. 

If you just looked at the picture, you’d never be able to tell that she was dying. That sickness made her weak and prevented her from doing things that normal children got to do.

Her parent’s had asked me for one thing: to document her as they always wanted to remember her - happy. 

And I’ll be damned if I let something like being tired pull me from that.

Quiet footsteps approach, stopping behind my chair. Jimin’s hands come to rest on my shoulders, squeezing them gently. He places a soft kiss to my cheek, “It looks amazing.”

“It’s not done yet,” I sigh. “I still have a few things to do on it.”

“You can do them tomorrow.”

“I can’t.”

“You can,” he says. He pulls my chair, forcing it to turn towards him. His arms are crossed in front of him, a pout on his lips. I try not to get distracted by the fact that he’s only dressed in a robe, the front of it falling to expose a small bit of his collarbone, the smooth skin tempting me to reach out and touch it. 

I had invited Jimin to start staying over about a month ago, not caring one bit about the fact that we hadn’t been together that long. It didn’t matter to me. I just wanted him around all the time, to know that when I opened my eyes in the morning he would be there. 

But I had been careful to move slow and not give him the wrong idea. I wanted Jimin to know that I didn’t want him just for his body, even if it was extremely hard to resist him at times.

Jimin tilts his head to the side, watching me. My eyes dart to the newly bared skin of his neck, my lips itching to trace their way across it - to feel his pulse pounding beneath them. 

“Are you even listening to me?”

Jimin’s voice snaps me out of my lustful thoughts, bringing me back to reality. “I’m sorry,” I apologize. “I got… distracted. What were you saying?”

He huffs, his pout turning to a full-blown frown. “I was saying that you can finish this tomorrow. Your deadline isn’t even until next week, so just come to bed.”

Frustration flares through me. I can’t believe he would say that, especially after I told him this family’s circumstances. “Why would you say that?” I snap, my voice coming out harsh. “Yes, my deadline is next week. But this little girl doesn’t have very much time and I would like to give this to her parents _before_ they’re in mourning over their daughter, Jimin.”

“Well you won’t be able to do that if you pass out from not eating enough, or get delirious from sleep deprivation.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“I’m so sorry I care enough to try and make sure that you’re okay,” he snaps, his arms squeezing tighter around himself.

“No one asked you to do that!” I yell back, my hands gripping tighter onto the arms of my chair. “Who asked you to take care of me? I certainly didn’t. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do.” I turn away from him, hoping that he would take the hint and stop arguing with me. 

“Fine,” he whispers. His footsteps move away, the sound of the door opening filling the room. “Happy Birthday,” is the last thing he says before the door closes and I’m left in total silence.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

“Wake up, you lazy bum!” A loud, cheerful voice shouts, waking me from what had to be the worst night’s sleep of my life.

Groaning, I crack an eye open, Hoseok’s smiling face coming into view. “Go away,” I grumble, turning over. I reach out for Jimin on the other side of the bed, my heart sinking when I feel the empty spot where he usually sleeps. 

I came to bed last night hoping to maybe get some sleep and then figure things out in the morning when we both had some sleep and time to think about what happened. But instead of finding him asleep, I came back to an empty bed, his bag and shoes gone. I even tried to call him, but he wouldn’t pick up.

Jimin was ignoring me.

And it was all my fault. 

Hoseok jumps on the bed, shaking me. “But it’s your birthday, Yoongs! You’re 21 today! We should be celebrating!”

I shrug him off of me before sitting up and shooting him a glare. “I really don’t feel like celebrating.” Honestly, I just felt like shit. I wanted to curl up in the blankets and sleep until I could muster the courage to track Jimin down and apologise to him. 

“Well, I feel like it. So be a good friend, get ready, and let’s celebrate.”

“What time is it anyway?”

“It’s almost four in the afternoon. You slept most of the day away. Late night, huh?” He raises a brow at me, giving me a wink.

“Not in the way you’re thinking.” I run my hands through my hair, trying to flatten the wild strands. “I was up all night working.”

“I feel so bad for Jimin,” Hoseok sighs. “You have him all night and what do you choose to do? Work. Truly a pity.”

I roll my eyes at him, choosing not to reply to him as I get out of bed. I move around the room, getting ready for the day as Hoseok chatters nonstop. Luckily he keeps the conversation going, barely needing any input from me as he spends the next fifteen minutes moving from topic to topic while I get ready.

“I guess I’m ready,” I sigh, interrupting whatever he was talking about at the moment. 

He hops off my bed, clapping excitedly. “Great! I have the best day planned!”

“It’s my birthday,” I whine, shoving my hands in my pockets. “Shouldn’t I get to decide where we go?”

He grabs my arm, dragging me out of my apartment. “It’s exactly because it’s your birthday that you don’t get to decide. Now come on.”

I follow him through the streets, the cool air stinging my cheeks a bit. “So where are we going?”

“That’s for me to know, and for you to find out,” he teases, sticking his tongue out at me. I shake my head, not bothering to answer him. We walk a few more blocks before he stops, the movement so unexpected that I smack right into his back. 

“What the hell,” I mutter, rubbing my forehead. “At least warn me next time.”

Hoseok turns around, the huge grin on his face instantly making me suspicious. He digs in his pocket, my eyes narrowing when he comes back holding a pink piece of fabric. “I’m gonna need you to put this on,” he says sweetly.

“No chance.”

His smile drops, a pout taking its place as he gives me his best puppy-dog eyes. “What? Why not? Please, Yoongi?”

“Hard pass,” I say quickly, not fazed one bit by his act. I was used to it by now. 

“Jimin will be so disappointed-”

“What did you say?”

“I was just saying that Jimin will be so disappointed. He was so excited for this.”

“Give me the damn blindfold,” I bark, pushing aside my pride at the mention of Jimin. 

Hoseok perks right up, the grin returning to his face as he hands me the blindfold. I stare at it for a second before sliding it over my eyes, the fabric soft against my face as darkness fills my vision. 

“Can you see anything?”

“No.”

“You sure?”

“Obviously.”

“Okay, then here we go!” Hoseok takes my hand, tugging me lightly in the direction he wants me to go. I move slowly, not entirely trusting Hoseok to lead me anywhere except straight into a wall. He gives me a small tug, making me turn to the left before continuing on. We walk for a while, taking various turns and no doubt getting the attention from the people we pass if their whispers were anything to go by.

After a few minutes and what feels like forever of walking, Hoseok finally stops. “We’re here!” He cheers, a door squeaking as it opens. He nudges me inside and pulls my blindfold off.

The room before me lights up, a group of people jumping out and screaming “Surprise!”. Balloons litter the corners of the room, streamers hanging from the ceiling. There was even a dance floor over to the side, a DJ playing music. I stand in the door, dumbfounded. I turn to Hoseok, “What’s going on here?”

“It’s your birthday party!” He informs me, a bright smile on his face. “Jimin’s been planning it for a while.”

“Jimin did? For me?”

“Of course he did. Now don’t let his work go to waste, get out there and enjoy yourself!” He pushes my shoulder, forcing me deeper into the room.

Namjoon and Jin are the first ones to approach me, each one of them wishing me a happy birthday. 

“How long have you guys known about this?”

Namjoon smiles sheepishly, but Jin is the one who answers my question. “About two weeks. Jimin approached us with the idea and we helped him plan everything.”

“Is that why you guys have been conveniently absent lately?” I ask, quirking a brow.

“All a part of the plan,” Namjoon laughs. “We knew if Jimin started disappearing for a while, you would get suspicious. So of course we made sure you wouldn’t catch on.”

“You know I hate surprise parties,” I mutter.

“We know. But if it comes from Jimin, we know you can’t say no.” 

“I- I can totally say no,” I sputter. 

“Uh huh,” Namjoon says skeptically. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.” He chuckles, giving me a pat on the shoulder. “Enjoy your party, Yoongs.”

Jin moves forward, wrapping his arms around my neck. “Happy Birthday, Yoongi!” He leans in, whispering in my ear: “I saw Jimin earlier, he didn’t look too good. You might want to go check on him.” He pulls away, meeting my eyes. I give a small nod, letting him know I understood. He moves back, waving goodbye to me before tugging Namjoon towards the dance floor.

I move through the crowd, thanking people as they wished me a happy birthday. I thanked them all for coming, trying not to seem rude as I rushed to end each conversation. Eventually I get through all the well-wishers, finding my way to the tables by the dance floor. There at one of them, with dark bags under his eyes, was Jimin.

I make my way to him, my stomach twisting in on itself as guilt swallows me. Jimin looked beautiful, his hair styled so it was parted in the middle, his forehead showing from under his pink locks. He wore a soft blue sweater, the color complimenting his skin tone. He looked ethereal, almost too good to be true. But underneath all that I could see the signs of his sadness. In the vacantness of his eyes as he stares down at his drink and in the exhaustion that weighs his shoulders down. 

I sit across from him and although he doesn’t acknowledge my existence, I know he knows I’m here by the way his shoulders tense. I lean forward, trying to peer up into his face. “Jimin,” I whisper his name like a plea, begging him to look at me. But he doesn’t. “I was stupid. I know I was.” Still no reaction. “Are you just going to ignore me?” I ask, irritation evident in my voice.

“I don’t know what you want from me, Yoongi,” he says, so quietly I almost miss it. But at least he finally responded. “First you don’t want me to care, now you want me to? I don’t know what you want me to do.”

My irritation fades away, regret taking its place. I should’ve thought more about what I was saying last night, should’ve kept my emotions in check. “I was tired, Chim. That’s all. I didn’t mean any of it-”

“Please, just don’t Yoongi. I know what you’re going to say. I just don’t want to talk right now.”

“Oh, uh, okay.” I sit quietly for a moment, watching him. My eyes move to the dance floor, seeing Namjoon and Jin swaying together, their eyes only for each other as they dance to the music. An idea pops into my head and I’m out of my seat instantly.

I move around the table, standing beside Jimin - who still makes it a point not to look at me. “You said you don’t want to talk, right? Well then don’t.” I hold my hand out, watching as he eyes it warily. “You don’t have to talk to me. You don’t even have to look at me if you don’t want to. Just dance with me, Chim. Please?”

I stand there for a moment, my heart racing as I anxiously await his response. Eventually he places his hand in mine and when he finally meets my eyes, I can see the hesitation in them. He stands slowly and I lead us to the dance floor, which is now empty as my friend’s had cleared out when they saw us coming. I don’t know if they could tell that we needed this moment, but I was thankful for it nonetheless. 

Standing in the middle of the floor, with a million eyes on us, I place my hands on Jimin’s hips and pull him to me. He wraps his arms around my neck, his hold loose but at least it’s better than nothing. Swaying to the music, I keep my eyes trained on his, even while he continues to look anywhere but at me. 

I accidentally step on his foot. “Shit, I’m sorry,” I say quickly. “I’m a pretty crappy dancer.” I chuckle. “Apparently I’m a pretty shit boyfriend too.” I take a deep breath, trying to find the courage to speak. “I’m not going to come up with excuses, or try to downplay how shitty what I said was. I know you care, that you were only trying to take care of me. I reacted poorly and said things I didn’t mean. I’m frustrated and tired from all this extra work. But that’s not on you, Chim. It’s on me.” I lean forward, pressing our foreheads together, relief washing through me when his eyes finally meet mine. “I shouldn’t take my frustration out on you. You’re the only thing that helps me get through it all. I just hope you can forgive me.”

“You’re right,” he says, his arms tightening around me. “You were pretty crappy. But luckily, I like you enough to look passed it. Just this one time though.”

Relief floods me and I press a quick kiss to his lips. “Thank you, Jiminie.”

One of his hands come to cup my cheek, his thumb stroking over the skin there. “I admire what you want to do for that family, Yoongi. You care so much, for everyone but yourself. And sometimes I think it stops you from taking care of yourself when you need to. So someone’s gotta step up and take care of you.” He laughs, the sound of it making me smile.

“I love you,” I blurt out without thinking, my mouth saying the words before my mind can really think about what we’re doing. Jimin freezes, dread pooling in my stomach as he stares at me. “I, uh, I mean-”

“I love you too,” Jimin says, interrupting my mess of a cover up. “I’ve loved you since the beginning.”

My hands drift up, cradling his face. I stare down at him, completely in awe of the man before me. I’m not sure what I did in a past life to deserve Jimin, but honestly I couldn’t imagine my life without him now. I kiss him hard, ignoring the whoops and the cheers of the crowd around us as I lose myself in him.

I pull away, my breathing heavy. “I’ve loved you since that first moment,” I admit. “And I’ll love you until the very last one.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi lovelies~~~ 
> 
> so sorry for the wait, but here's the new chapter! 
> 
> I hope you guys are enjoying it! 
> 
> As always, don't be afraid to let me know what you think!


	10. Now

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/31052445167/in/dateposted-public/)

“You said you would love him forever.” Jungkook speaks up from his spot on Jin’s lap, his voice loud in the otherwise quiet room.

I look towards him, nodding my head. “I did.”

He leans forward, his eyes bright. “And did you mean it? Do you still love him even though he isn’t here?”

I glance down at Taehyung, seeing him watching me raptly, no doubt just as interested in the answer as his friend was. Sighing, I ruffle my son’s hair before answering. “Yes. I still love him.” It’d been four years, but my feelings hadn’t waned at all - the almost constant ache in my chest all the evidence I needed to know that. “And I think I always will,” I admit. 

“Well if you loved each other, then you’d be together right now,” Jungkook huffs, crossing his little arms and settling back into Jin, who doesn’t look happy with what his son just said. 

“Kook, you can’t-”

“That’s not true!” Taehyung jumps down from my lap, his eyes glistening with angry tears. “My daddy’s loved each other!” He settles a glare on Kook before turning and stomping up the stairs. 

“Tae?” I call after him, concerned. I start to get up, determined to go after him and make sure he was okay, but stop when I hear the tapping of his feet against the stairs. He makes his way down carefully, his arms wrapped protectively around the box from my closet. 

He stops in the middle of the room, gently setting the box down on the carpet before dropping down beside it. He places his hands on the top, sending another glare towards his friend. “This is proof that they were in love. Everything is in here.” He looks to me. “Can I open it, Daddy? It’s okay, right?”

I settle in beside him, crossing my legs in front of me. I pull the box so it sits between us, both of our hands resting on it. I stare at the box for a second, the ache I’m so used to kicking up a notch. I had locked all of our memories in here, where they couldn’t be a constant reminder of the happiness I had lost. 

But I know that Taehyung deserves to see them - no matter how painful it may be for me. 

I nod my head and that’s all the encouragement he needs before he pulls the lid off, setting it behind him. Our guests move to us, settling down in a circle so we were all surrounding the source of our focus - the box. Namjoon sits to my right, Kook settled in between him and Jin with Hoseok being next. 

Taehyung reaches into the box, pulling out a polaroid. In it I was smiling, lines of icing smeared across my cheeks. Taehyung looks between me and the picture, no doubt trying to connect me with the man I once was. “This is you, Daddy!”

I nod, a small smile gracing my lips. “That was from my birthday. The very first one your daddy and I spent together.”

He furrows his eyes at the picture, confused. “Where is he?”

“He was taking the picture,” I explain. I reach out, tracing the edge of the photo. “This is called a polaroid. You take a picture and the camera prints it immediately. He loved them and he preferred them over the digital pictures I took.” 

“Can I see?” Kook pipes up, holding his hand out. Taehyung eyes it skeptically, but relents and gives him the picture, warning him to be gentle. Jungkook looks over it, laughing. “You look funny,” he giggles. 

Namjoon and Jin lean in, both of them crack up when they see it. I glare at them, but they ignore me and continue laughing. “If you think this photo is funny, you should of seen it in person,” Jin laughs. “Yoongi whined for a solid five minutes.”

“I didn’t want to take the picture,” I mumble, glancing away. 

“But you gave in,” Hoseok laughs. “Like you always did when Jimin wanted something. You didn’t know how to tell him no.” He leans down to Taehyung, whispering loud enough for all of us to hear. “He totally spoiled him. Everything he wanted, Yoongi gave him. All Jimin had to do was pout and Yoongi would crumble.”

“Tha- That’s not true at all!”

“So you say, but what about…” Namjoon leans forward, looking through the box for a second before coming out with another picture. He holds it up so the whole circle can see it: Jimin’s beaming at the camera, his arm wrapped around my waist as my eyes stare at the ground. We were wearing matching shirts, each reading ‘He’s mine.’ “How about this then, Yoongs?” He raises a brow, meanwhile my other friends were just chuckling. “You swore you would never go out in these. Especially not out in public where everyone could see you.”

“That lasted a whole ten minutes,” Jin scoffed. 

“Daddy,” Taehyung gasps, bringing his hand to his mouth. “You were a sucker!”

“I was not!” I defend myself, giggling. “It’s just that… he was too cute. How could I say no to that face?” 

“It’s just two letters, it’s not that difficult,” Namjoon laughs.

“But Daddy…” Jungkook looks up to Namjoon, his brows furrowed. “You don’t tell Dada no either.”

“Yah!” I yell, pointing at Joon. “And so the truth comes out!”

“Busted by your own son, gotta be rough,” Hoseok mumbles.

Namjoon blushes and Jin simply laughs, patting his back. “It’s hard to say no to the person you love,” Jin explains. “All you want to do is make them happy.”

“Was he happy?” Taehyung asks quietly, his eyes meeting mine. “Did it make him happy?”

I smile, memories of Jimin flitting through my mind, the laugh that I loved hear, the smile that lit up my whole life. “I like to think he was happy.” 

Taehyung nods, saying no more as he plucks another picture from the box. This one is of Jimin and Hoseok, both of them smiling at the camera, V signs held up by their eyes. A headband sat on Jimin’s head, the yellow letters spelling ‘Happy Birthday’. 

“His birthday,” Hoseok sighs, his eyes on the picture. I glance at him, quickly looking away when I see the sadness on his face. I felt guilty. All this time I had been so focused on my own feelings about losing Jimin that I ignored how my friends felt. I knew that Jimin and Hoseok had grown close, they were basically inseparable, but I never really considered how he felt about it all. 

I look at the picture again, my breath catching in my throat. I reach out, my hand shaking slightly as I take it from Taehyung. “This was a good day,” I whisper, my thumb tracing over Jimin’s features. 

“Why?” Taehyung asks, leaning over into my side. 

“Do you wanna hear about it?” He nods, making me smile. I stare down at the picture for a second before taking a deep breath and lowering it to my lap. “Then here we go...”


	11. Then

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: this chapter contains some deep stuff, talk of shitty parents and such. so read at your own risk

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/44293634640)

"No, Hoseok, you can't just get whatever color balloons you want," I growl into the phone. "I said blue balloons and I meant it."

"Geez, fine fine. But I'm telling you that the mixed bag is on sale."

"The money doesn't matter. Just please get the blue."

"Roger that, Captain." 

There's a soft click as Hoseok hangs up and I slide my phone into my pocket, sighing deeply as a headache pushes at me.

All day I've been setting up for Jimin's party; setting up decorations, making sure the food was in order, checking that the DJ was gonna be here on time, and my friends were trying to help the best that they could but I was still exhausted. Not to mention that we were thirty minutes from starting and I just realized we didn't have balloons.

I slide into one of the booths, the familiar leather creaking under my weight. 

When I decided to throw Jimin a party, I knew it had to be in the place we met. And although the bar was slightly shabby at the beginning, it looked completely different now that I had finished getting it ready, well except for the balloons of course.

Strings of lights hung from the ceiling, casting a soft glow on the rest of the room. The bar itself was covered in a white table cloth, markers strewn about it so guests could sign it as a memento of the night. Over in the corner the DJ was setting up, the dance floor in front of him outlined by silver poles, each one connected with a white ribbon. 

It was elegant, but still down to earth. Much like the boy it was designed for.

"Taking a break, huh?" Jin asks, sliding into the booth across from me. 

"Yeah, it should be pretty much set up now anyway. Just need these damn balloons." I rest my elbows on the table, the black table cloth smooth against my skin. 

"You need to relax, Yoongs. You know Jimin will love it no matter what. It came from you, after all."

“Of course I know that,” I mutter. “But I don’t want him to just love it because it came from me. I want him to just love it. I just want him to feel like his birthday is special.”

“You don’t think he thinks his birthday is special?”

I shake my head slowly, my eyes trained on the table. “I asked him about it a few weeks ago and he didn’t say much about it, just that his family didn’t celebrate it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, it’s weird right? What family doesn’t at least get a cake or something to celebrate? And when I asked him about it, he went super quiet. It took minutes for him to give me that answer.”

“And have you met his family?” Jin leans forward, clearly interested.

I shake my head, “No. We haven’t even talked about them. This is actually the first time he ever brought them up.”

Jin’s eyes go wide, his mouth dropping open. “You guys have been together for almost a year though… Didn’t you ever ask about them?”

“Of course I did,” I sigh. I tap my fingers on the table, feeling anxious. “But he never answered. He’d just go quiet for so long that I would give up.” 

To be honest, I wasn’t telling Jin the whole truth. While Jimin has gone quiet every time I asked about his family, that isn’t what makes me give up on knowing. 

It was the sheer terror that showed on his features everytime I brought it up. 

“Well, maybe he’ll tell you eventually.”

I shrug my shoulders, my eyes surveying the room again. I stop when I catch sight of Namjoon leaning against the bar, his face alight in a smile as he converses with the person next to him. Jin follows my lie of sight, a small smile lighting up his face when he sees his mate. 

“I want that for you guys, you know,” He speaks up, catching me off guard. I whip my eyes back to him, but his eyes stay on Namjoon.

“Wh-what?”

“You and Jimin. I want you guys to have this happiness that Namjoon and I do. To know that for the rest of your life, you guys will be together and there will always be someone there to love you when it feels like no one else in the world does.” He finally looks back to me, his brown eyes meeting mine. “I’ve seen you guys together. And I’m telling you, he’s it for you. That great love that everyone tells you about.”

“Is that what Namjoon is to you?” 

He smiles, a blush creeping up his cheeks. “Since the moment I met him.”

The door slams open, the cool October air sneaking in after a heavy-breathing Hoseok. He doubles over, his hands on his thighs as he tries to catch his breath. Jin laughs but I’m already out of my seat, striding towards my friend. When I get near him, he doesn’t look up or say anything, he just thrusts his hand out - a bag of light blue balloons clutched in his hands. 

I take it from him, a bit of my anxiety easing. “You are literally the best.”

“Of course I am,” he laughs breathely, still winded from clearly running here. “Now go, finish the preparations. We don’t have much time, I saw Jimin on my way over here.”

I spend the next few minutes rushing from the helium tank I rented and all around the room as I place the balloons in their spots. I finish with barely any time to spare, to door starting to swing open just as I place the last one. 

I plaster a smile on my face, trying to hide how heavy my breathing is as Jimin’s face comes into view. I rush to him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and peppering his cheeks with kisses. “Happy Birthday, my love,” I whisper, moving so he could see the room. 

A grin lights up his face, my heart skipping a beat at the sight of it. He wraps his arms around me, squeezing me to him. “It’s amazing. I love it.”

\---------------------------------------------------

The party’s in full swing, people littering the dance floor or just sitting in the booths talking, when I notice that Jimin is missing. I look all over for him, but he’s nowhere to be found. For a minute, I panic. Did he not like the party and decide to ditch?

I tap Namjoon’s shoulder, too worried to feel bad about interrupting his conversation with one of Jimin’s dance friends. Joon looks like he’s going to scold me, but once he catches sight of my face he lets it go. “What’s wrong?” he asks.

“Have you seen Jimin?” 

“Jimin? This is his party, Yoongi. He should be around here somewhere.”

“I checked everywhere. I can’t find him.”

“You should check the roof,” the boy speaks up, drawing my attention for the first time. The first thing I notice is that he’s rather attractive - not as much as Jimin, but definitely attractive. The second is that he towers over me, which isn’t uncommon, but he’s even a little taller than Joon. 

“The roof?”

“Yeah, when he gets flustered he always goes on the roof. Says it helps him calm down.”

Jealousy burns through me at the fact that he knows this about Jimin, _my_ Jimin, but I let it go. I didn’t have time to worry about my petty feelings, I needed to find my boyfriend. I turn away, starting towards the table where we left our coats. “You’re welcome,” the boy yells after me, but I ignore him. I grab my jacket, noticing that Jimin’s is here as well before grabbing it as well. 

By the time I make it to the roof, I’m exhausted. Climbing the fire escape had proven harder than I expected, my arms and legs burning from having to hoist myself onto the roof. 

But just like the boy had guessed, Jimin was up here. He was laid back, his arms under his head as he gazed up at the stars. I make my way over to him, sitting down beside him as I drape his coat across his chest.

He sits up, sliding it on. “Thanks for bringing this to me,” he says, smiling at me. 

“If you’re cold, you should’ve brought it in the first place,” I scold him. 

“I guess you’re right.”

We sit in silence for a while, both of us just staring out at the city, our focus on the twinkling lights in front of us. 

“Mind telling me why you’re out here?” I say, finally breaking the silence. “It’s perfectly warm inside. There’s even food.”

His mouth turns down, wrinkles showing n his forehead as he frowns. “I know. And I’m sorry. I love the party, I really do. I just…” He takes a deep breath. “I needed some air.”

“Is it the crowd?” I ask, worried. “Did I invite too many people? I thought you-”

“It’s not the crowd,” he says, interrupting me. “And it’s not even the party. I’m just not used to it.” He lays back down, his eyes trained on the sky above him. I lay beside him, the concrete is uncomfortable but I was willing to put up with it for him. “Remember when I told you that my family didn’t celebrate my birthday?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Well I wasn’t telling the whole truth.” He pauses and I wait patiently for him to continue. “It’s true that we didn’t celebrate But that was mostly because my dad just didn’t even acknowledge it was my birthday. He completely ignored it, much like he did me most of the time.”

“Jimin-”

“And I thought that was normal. That birthdays were nothing special. But-” I hear his breath catch, my heart breaking for him. “But then I was invited to a party for one of my friends from school. And guess what? His parents were ecstatic. They threw him a huge party and told him happy birthday all day long. That was when I knew my family wasn’t normal.”

“You don’t have to tell me this,” I say. I could tell from his voice how much this had to hurt him, that talking about this was one of the hardest things he’s ever had to do.

“I want to,” he says, his hand reaching out and grabbing mine. “I- I want you to know everything about me.” I turn my head to look at him, but his eyes are still on the stars, or maybe they were in the past - one that I now knew was filled with sadness. “So I went home from the party crying. I asked my dad why we didn’t celebrate, why he didn’t ever tell me happy birthday. And do you know what he said?”

I stay quiet, knowing he doesn’t mean for me to actually answer. 

“He told me that that boy’s parents celebrated because ‘their son wasn’t an abomination’ and that I didn’t deserve to celebrate the day of my birth. After all, my mother gave everything she had to have me, even her life. And yet I came out an Omega, a worthless Omega that would never amount to anything in his eyes because I wasn’t a strong Alpha.”

“That’s bullshit,” I growl, angry for the young Jimin that never got to know that he was special. That being a male Omega was something to proud of. I roll onto my stomach, taking his face in my hands. His teary eyes meet mine as I stare down at him, my voice strong as I tell him what his father should have all those years ago. “Male Omega’s are so rare, Jimin. You were special from the moment you were born. You’re basically a miracle. And that man should have made you feel like one.”

“I- I know,” he blubbers, a few tears escaping from the corner of his eyes. I wipe them away as they fall. “He needs to know that he was wrong. That even though I’m an Omega, I can still be something. That’s why I’m going to be the best dancer. I’m going to throw it in his face and show him that even with a childhood full of hate, that I can live a life full of love.”

“I’ll help you,” I promise. “You’ll become the best dancer and I’ll love you every second of every day for the rest of my life. I’ll take pictures of you and post them everywhere so he can see how happy you are. I swear it.”

Jimin sits up, resting his arms on my shoulders and his forehead against mine. “That sounds like a life that I would love to have.” he leans forward, his eyes on my lips-

“Cake time, you love birds! Seriously, who hangs out on the roof in the middle of October?” Jin’s voice interrupts us. I look over to see his head poking up from behind the edge of the building, a scowl on his face. “Hurry up cause we’re all waiting for you,” he says before disappearing back down the ladder. Jimin giggles, pressing a quick kiss to my lips. He gets up, holding his hand out for me. I take it, letting him pull me up and keep a hold of it. 

He tries to move towards the latter, but my feet stay rooted to the spot, preventing him going any farther. He turns, the question on his lips cut off as I pull him into my arms. I crash our lips together, the kiss wild as I pour every ounce of my love for him into it. I dip him down, cradling him carefully so I don’t drop him. 

I pull back just a bit, my heart pounding at Jimin’s red stained cheeks and swollen lips. We’re both breathing heavy, our little clouds of breath mingling in the space between us. I lean forward, my next words spoken against his lips.

“Happy Birthday, Jimin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How are we guys? Good, bad, just doing okay? I wanna hear what you guys think and such!


	12. Then

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/45394326825)

Christmas music filters through the room, the music soft compared to the voices around me.

I'm curled up on Namjoon and Jin's couch, my legs pulled up beside me, a steaming mug of coffee in my hand as I watch Jimin and Hoseok bustle around the room, the santa hats on their heads bouncing with each movement.

“I wanna put the star on top!” Jimin cries, dodging Hoseok's hands.

“You're not even tall enough to reach the top of the tree,” Hoseok fires back, lunging again for the decoration. Jimin steps out of the way, Hoseok barely missing his target.

“Doesn't matter,” Jimin whines. “I can use a chair or something!”

“That's cheating!” Hoseok turns to me, narrowing his eyes at me. “Are you gonna let him cheat like this, Yoongi?”

I close my eyes, making a show of squinting them shut and shaking my head. “I don't see anything.”

I can hear Jimin giggling, a small smile pulling on my lips at the sound. I crack my eyes open, catching sight of his rosey cheeks and his mouth open as he smiles at me. 

“Damn couples,” Hoseok mutters, shaking his head. 

I laugh, careful not to spill my coffee. Jimin blows me a kiss, my cheeks warming. He was just too cute.

Hoseok stops pouting over his loss, instead helping Jimin look for something he could stand on. As I watch them argue about the cons of using a wheeled-chair to stand on, I wonder how I got so lucky.

Jimin and I have been dating for a little over a year now, and it's like our lives have never been separate. He's blended in perfectly with my friends and, despite how it seems, he may be even closer to Hoseok than I am. 

I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, to have to pay for this much happiness, for Jimin to find something about me that he can't stand or realize that he can do so much better. But it's been a year and we've been living together for a few months now, and so far nothing. 

Since we moved in together, my friends warned me that there may be a transition period where we got irritated at having the other person around all the time. I had been wary, but apparently my worries were for nothing. When Jimin moved in, it was like he had always been there. We molded around one another easily, falling into an easy pattern. 

My bedroom is now filled with bookshelves of Jimin’s manga, my closet stocked with his work out clothes. I even had the basement turned into a makeshift dance studio for him. It wasn’t perfect, but he had been happy with it. 

It would be so easy for us to have a life together, a happy one. 

Jin enters, breaking off my train of thought as he holds up a silver tray. “Christmas Jell-O shots bitches!”

Jimin and Hoseok, who still hadn’t managed to place the finishing touch on the tree, squealed in delight. I set my coffee on the end table, stretching out my arms as I rise from my spot on the couch. I make my way over to them, stepping into Jimin’s side. I wrap my arm around his waist, not missing the small smile he gives me when he notices. 

“Can’t we ever get together without getting absolutely wasted?” I groan, looking over the tray. About a dozen little cups around arranged around it, the shots looking like harmless santa hats. But I knew better. Underneath all that whipped cream and strawberry was a whole lotta danger. 

“Oh hush,” Jin scoffs. “As if you could say no to alcohol. You’re like the master of all things alcohol related.”

I shrug, not even denying it. Jimin just laughs, bumping his hip into mine. Namjoon comes rushing in from the kitchen, his hair tousled and cheeks flushed. “Sorry,” he mutters.

Hoseok and Jimin exchange a glance, one that, from the gleam in their eyes, I know can only mean trouble. “Sorry for what?” Hoseok giggles.

“For not getting to finish whatever you and Jin started in the kitchen?” Jimin finishes, both of the erupting into a fit of laughter.

Namjoon turns bright red, his mouth dropping open as he tries to come up with a good comeback. I feel bad for him, I really do. When Jimin and Hoseok get something to tease you about, they could be relentless.

“Maybe you would know that feeling, Hoseok, if you had someone to start something with,” Jin quips, immediately shutting Hoseok up. Jin turns toward Jimin, who’s still giggling, staring him down. “And Jimin, can you really giggle when we all know that you and Yoongi haven’t done anything?”

And KO’ed.

“Well what are we waiting for?” Hoseok says quickly. “Let’s get this party started!”

We each down a shot, Hoseok and Namjoon complaining about the taste the whole time. Jimin, Jin, and I make no complaints, only taking the shot and going for a second one. Hoseok and Jimin go back to decorating the tree, or fighting about how they were going to get the star on the top. Jin sets the tray on the coffee table, coming over and grabbing my hands. 

I don’t even get to ask him what he’s doing before he’s tugging me towards them shouting: “I have an idea!” He plops me next to Jimin, giving me a smile. “You lift him up, Yoongi.”

“Excuse me?”

“Lift Jimin so he can reach the top of the tree.”

“No way,” I deny, shaking my head.

“Why not?” Jimin whines, giving me the puppy dog eyes. “Please, Yoonie?”

“I’m probably not even able to do it,” I mutter.

“As fucking if,” Jimin scoffs. “I know you work out. And I’ve seen those muscles.” He gives me a wink, leaving me blushing. “Come on, babe! Let’s be couple goals!”

I sigh, but relent anyway. If it made Jimin this excited, how could I say no? I step up, noting the way Jimin almost bounced with anticipation, a smile spread wide across his face. He turns around and I wrap my arms around his waist. “You ready?” 

“Always!”

I lift, surprised at how easy it is. Jimin squeals with happiness and soon the room is filled with changing colors as Jimin places the star. I lower him slowly, careful not to drop him. When his feet are soundly on the floor again, Jimin whips around, throwing his arms around me. “I knew you could do it!” He cheers, hugging me. 

“Yeah, yeah. That’s all fine and great,” Hoseok cuts in. “But now that the tree is finished, guess what time it is?” 

“Presents!” Jin yells, pulling in a big red bag. He always went a little overboard for this holiday. We all sit down in front of the tree, Jin at the head of the circle with me to his left and namjoon to his right, and the bag plopped right in the center. Most of us knew how Christmas worked in the Kim household, but since Jimin was new we all agreed that we should go over the rules. “Now, as we do every year, we put everyone’s gifts in this bag. We’ll hand them out as we get them, okay? When you get a gift, you open it. Then we’ll continue on to the next one.” We all nod, eager to get started. Jin smiles, clapping his hands together. “Great! Then let’s get going!”

Jin pulls present after present, giving the next one once the previous one has been opened and looked over. Hoseok got a new bag from Namjoon and Jin - a clear one that seemed pointless to me but whatever, and a super expensive Kermit from me and Jimin. 

Namjoon received books from Hoseok, sunglasses from Jimin, a notebook to write down his thoughts from me, and a blush-inducing whisper from Jin. Pretty sure none of us want to know what Jin got him. 

Jin got a Mario collectable from Hoseok, one that was a first edition. Honestly, I wasn’t sure where Hoseok got his super expensive presents or how he knew exactly what to get each of us. It’s like a secret talent. Namjoon got him a necklace, their names engraved on the back of it. Jimin and I got him a reservation at the city's busiest restaurant for him and Namjoon. 

Jimin went next, everyone’s eyes on him as he opened their presents. From Namjoon and Jin he got the whole series of one of his favorite mangas. From Hoseok, new dancing shoes.

Then it came time for him to open my gift. I shifted in my seat, nervous. I wasn’t really any good at holidays or getting gifts. I struggled to find what people wanted. I had spent weeks searching for the perfect gift for Jimin always coming up empty, until I came across this. 

Jimin picks up the small envelope, shaking it to see what’s inside. “That’s cheating,” I chastise, shaking my finger at him. He smiles at me sheepishly, clearly not sorry at all. He opens it slowly, dumping the contents out onto his hand: a single key.

“What’s this?” he asks me, confused.

“It’s um-” I blush, coughing to hide my awkwardness. “It’s the key to our new studio.”

“Studio?”

“Yeah. One half of it is for my photography, and the other half - well actually more like 75% of it - is an actual dance studio for you. I know you said you were happy with the basement but it was cramped and I didn’t want-”

I’m cut off as a pair of arms wrap around my shoulders, squeezing so tight my words fade out to nothing. Jimin presses kisses to the side of my face, “Thank you! You’re literally the sweetest!”

“You’re welcome,” I mumble as he pulls away, huge smiles on both of our faces. 

“Weel,, if you guys are done with your moment,” Namjoon says. “Yoongi it’s your turn.”

Jin hands me the first present, “This one is from Hoseok.”

I give my friend a suspicious look, to which he does nothing but shoot finger guns at me. A little suspicious, but okay. I open it quickly, finding a box inside. I open the box, to find another box. Hoseok laughs as I open box after box, each one getting smaller until I’m left with nothing but a thin, rectangular box. I take the top off, my mouth dropping.

“Court-side tickets to next week’s basketball game? I thought these were all sold out?”

Hoseok shrugs, “I know a guy.”

“Wow, thanks.” I say quietly, speechless. 

Jin hands me another present, “This one’s from us.”

I take the small box, undoing the red ribbon on the top before opening it. Inside sits a small watch, the silver gleaming in the light from the tree. 

“It’s not as expensive as _someone’s_ -” Namjoon gives Hoseok a pointed look, “- gift but we know you like watches so-”

“I love it,” I say quickly, hurrying to fasten it around my wrist. I shake my wrist around, showing it off. “Thank you guys.”

“You’re welcome,” Jin says, smiling as he hands me another gift. “And last but not least, this one is from Jimin.”

I take the larger box, eyeing it skeptically. “When did you have time to buy this?”

“Probably when you had time to buy yours,” Jimin laughs. “Just open it.”

“Okay, Okay.” I rip off the wrapping paper, a sleek black box, which looks a lot like a shoe box, peeking out from underneath the paper. I take it out the rest of the way, holding it in my hands for a second. It was heavy, definitely heavier than shoes. I pull the top off, my breath catching in my throat. 

In the box is a camera, but not just any camera, one of the best cameras out right now. And the exact same camera that I had been looking to order a few weeks ago. 

I raise an eyebrow at him, “Snooping on my computer, huh?”

He shrugs, “Can you really get mad at a face like this?”

I sigh, shaking my head. “No, I really can’t.”

He beams at me, blowing me a kiss. “I know.”

“Thank you, Jiminie. I love it.” I pick it up, studying it closely. It was sturdy, had more zoom than my previous camera, and just better quality overall. I turned it on, turning the viewfinder onto Jimin. 

“I hope you can use it to make something amazing,” he says, smiling at me. 

And sitting there, the love of my life in the sights of my camera, I knew I could do exactly that.

A smile pulls at the corners of my mouth.

“I think I can, actually.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back with Chapter 11! 
> 
> I've been getting so many supportive comments... I truly love you guys! 
> 
> I know my updating sucks... and I wish I could say it would get better.... but that's probably a lie and I ain't a liar lmao
> 
> I got a new job (yay!) and am working on trying to balance my new schedule so I'll hope you guys can bear with me for a little while! 
> 
> also- do you guys like the banners? Or should I go back to just putting the dates at the top in bold? Or do both? I wanna know your opinions!
> 
> I also hope you enjoyed this chapter :)
> 
> Let me know what you guys think!
> 
> xxoo


	13. Then

March 1st  
7 years ago

I sneak through the living room, trying to avoid the spots I know will creak when I step on them. I grip tighter to the strap of the bag I have slung over my shoulder, my heart thundering in my chest.

Who knew sneaking out of your own apartment would be so hard?

I peek around the corner, a breath of relief leaving me when I see the front door - and no sign of Jimin. 

Maybe I'd actually get out without-

"Where do you think you're going?"

Shit.

I turn slowly, putting on my best innocent smile, preferably one that didn't scream "You just caught me sneaking out." 

Jimin leans against the wall, his arms crossed in front of him as he eyes me suspiciously. 

I shove my hands in my pockets, trying to seem casual. "I wasn't going anywhere. I was just gonna go get some air-"

"Get some air?" He points the the bag on my shoulder. "With your camera bag?" 

Double shit. 

"I may have just thought that I could snap some pictures-"

"Yoongi you promised you wouldn't work today," Jimin whines, his bottom lip sticking out in a pout. "We're supposed to go out for dinner tonight. And if you go to the studio we both know you'll get sucked in and not come home for the next 24 hours."

"I wasn't going to go for long," I pout. "Just long enough to do a few things. I wouldn't miss dinner."

"I don't believe that," he sighs deeply, pushing off the wall. "But okay."

A smile spreads across my face. "So I can go?" 

A small smile pulls at his lips. "Yeah you can go. But-" He points at me, giving me his best threatening tone, "-don't you dare miss dinner tonight. If I have to come drag you from that studio, I will."

Luckily for me, that was just what I wanted.

I move to his side, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You're the best," I tell him, turning back towards the door. I'm slipping out into the hallway when Jimin yells out to me-

"Don't forget, Yoongi! Don't make me come get you!"

"Yeah, yeah. I gotcha."

I race down the hallway, the cool air hitting me when I get out of the building.

"Took you long enough," Hoseok says, pushing off where he had been lounging against the wall. 

"Sorry. Jimin caught me sneaking out."

Hoseok's eyes widen, his hand coming up to cover his mouth when he gasps. "And you actually managed to tear yourself away from him?"

"Shut up," I grumble, shoving him lightly. He laughs, darting in front of me and sticking his tongue out at me. I roll my eyes, walking a few steps before he falls in line beside me.

We walk in silence for a while, my head running wild with my plans for the day. My camera bag is heavy on my shoulder, reminding me of the weight of today's endeavor. 

"Do you think he suspects anything?" Hoseok asks out of nowhere, bringing me back from my thoughts.

"If he does then he does a really good job of hiding it," I say. "Honestly, I think he knows that I'm really busy with something, but he assumes that it's work related."

"I mean he's right to assume that," Hoseok chuckles. "We all know how much you work."

"Yeah, yeah."

We turn the corner, the studio sitting just a few doors down. The glass on the outside glints in the sunlight, the windows showing into the darkness of the dance studio. I pull out the key, unlocking the front doors and holding it open for Hoseok to slip inside. 

"Wow," he says when I flick on the lights, his voice echoing slightly in the large space. "This place is huge."

I look around the room, taking it in. Two of the walls are covered entirely in mirrors. The back wall is a mixture of different speakers, a door cut into the corner of it that leads to my studio. A bar is pushed against the back wall, the gold of it glinting in the light that streams in from the glass ceiling.

"I guess it is," I say simply.

"You really bought all this for Jimin?" 

"I bought the space. He designed it." I move farther in, my footsteps echoing against the wood floors. 

"Is your studio just as big?"

"Nah, it's like half this size. I don't really need all that space."

"Ah, gotcha." He stops gawking, turning his attention back to me. "Should we get started then?"

I nod, throwing him a roll of red fabric. "Can you roll that down the center from the door?"

He does what I ask, our conversation scarce now that we're focused on the tasks at hand. 

The hours pass quickly as we transform the studio to fit my vision. What used to be an empty room is now an exhibit, the theme of it love and the subjects are Jimin and I.

The red carpet I had Hoseok lay earlier leads from the door to the center of the room, lights spaced evenly along it. A podium sits in between each light, a framed picture of the two of us on each one, each one at a different part of our relationship. The night we first kissed at Hoseok's party, us on the dance floor at the birthday party he planned for me. 

Strings of lights hang from the ceiling, more pictures hanging from the bottom of them. Jimin's smiling face as him and Hoseok pose for the camera, their fingers held up in a V. My icing smeared face, Jin and Namjoon chuckling in the background.

Our story was plastered all around the room, a story that was filled with love and happiness.

An arch sits at the end of the carpet, a small stone bench placed under it. The room passed it is completely dark, hiding it's secrets until the right moment.

Hoseok nods, his face shining with pride. "We did pretty good."

I hum my agreement, content with it.

My phone rings, Jimin's face popping up on the screen. "We finished just in time," I mutter. I put my finger to my lips, signalling for Hoseok to be quiet. I press to answer, bringing the phone to my ear. "Hey babe."

"I told you not to make me come get you," Jimin says, his voice angry.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry," I apologize, trying to act remorseful. Hoseok waves to me and points to the door. I nod, waving goodbye and mouthing a silent thank you before he slips out. 

"I thought we had a deal," Jimin sighs. I can hear the sound of cars and wind on his side of the line.

Great, that means he's coming.

Everything was falling into place.

"You're right, we did. I should've followed through. But I was working on something big-"

"Big enough that I should forgive you for forgetting about me?" 

"Yes."

"Guess we'll see when I get there. I'm at the corner, so I'll see you soon. Love you."

"Love you," I say quickly, the phone beeping as he hangs up.

I stand in front of the door, my stomach twisting with anxiety. 

It opens, Jimin's pouting face coming into view. "Why do you-" He catches sight of the room, his words trailing off. He leans around me, his eyebrows furrowed as he takes in the room. "What is this?" I say nothing as he moves passed me, his feet shuffling along the red carpet. 

I follow a few steps behind him, watching as he looks at the pictures stationed along the way, his smile growing with each one. He reaches out, his fingers trailing along the picture of us dancing together. "This was a good day," I hear him whisper. 

He continues along, his eyes darting from the podiums on the ground to the lights that dangle fron the ceiling. The happiness on his face fills me with confidence that maybe this will go well.

He reaches the arch, standing still as he stares out into the darkness. He turns towards me, tilting his head to the side. "What is all of this?"

I motion to the bench, "Sit."

He does as I say and sits so his back is facing me. I reach in my pocket and pull out a switch. I click it and hear Jimin's gasp as the spotlight comes on.

Illuminated in the middle of the floor are all the pictures we've ever taken together. They're arranged into one question: Will you marry me?

I drop on one knee, reaching behind the picture to my right to grab a box from behind the frame. Jimin turns around, his eyes watery when he sees me. 

"I'm not good with words," I start off, thankful that my voice is steadier than my hands, which are currently trembling as I hold the box behind my back. "I don't always know what to say and sometimes I can say things that seem inappropriate at the time." I take a deep breath, pushing on. "I've been called cold and distant so often that eventually I just started to believe it." I meet Jimin's eyes, the brown depths of them filled with love and tears. "But you, Jimin, you never bought into that. From the first moment I laid eyes on you you've made me realize that I can be capable of feelings, of love." I pull the box out, flipping the top. Jimin's eyes drop to the ring, his tears finally breaking free. "I want to believe in us, in love. And I hope you do too. So Jimin, will you marry me?"

Jimin smiles, tears streaking down his cheeks. He shoots out of his seat, wrapping his arms around my neck as a soft sob leaves him. 

And then he utters a word that makes my heart soar:

"Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!
> 
> I'm currently on a 3 hour long car trip with my fiancés family so i wrote this on my phone -.- im sorry in advance for any mistakes! Also- i know i do the banner but due to being on my phone I cant do it T-T 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!!! 
> 
> Let me know what you think 
> 
> xxooxxoo


	14. Now

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/32120409708/in/datetaken/)

I lean forward, careful not to jostle the child on my lap. Reaching into the box, I pull out different photos, sifting through them until I find the one I'm looking for. I hand it to Taehyung, his eyes wandering over it excitedly.

Jimin smiles out from the picture, his happiness almost palpable through the glossy paper. He's holding up his hand, showing off the ring that adorns his finger. 

The ring itself is a silver band, small diamonds set into the metal. Though it can't be seen in the photo, on the inside there's an engraving that reads: "Let's believe in love." It was small, not big enough to be a bother or harm anyone during dance routines, but Jimin always acted like I gave him the world to wrap around his finger.

"It's so pretty," Tae breathes, his finger running across the ring.

"It better be," Hoseok grumbles. "Your dad drug me around to every jewelry store with him until he found it."

"You complain, but it was worth it wasn't it?" I give him a glare. "You loved Jimin's reaction."

"Who wouldn't?" Jin giggles. "He cried for days. Every time he looked at the ring, he'd get all teary-eyed." He looks at Taehyung. "Your Dada was a bit of a crybaby."

"Must be where Tae gets it from," Jungkook mumbles.

"I'm not a crybaby!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Even if he is," Namjoon cuts off their argument. "It's not something he should be ashamed of." He gives Tae a comforting smile. "Omega's are sensitive, they feel compassion and happiness more deeply than we Alpha's do. It's something you should be proud of." He drops his gaze to his son, "And you, Kook. You shouldn't make fun of it. As an Alpha, it's your job to protect him from anything that could make him cry."

"Obviously," Jungkook scoffs. "I'd never let anything make my Tae cry."

"You make me cry more than anyone else, Kook," Taehyung huffs, crossing his arms.

"That's just because he likes you," Hoseok stage whispers.

Jungkook's mouth drops open, his cheeks turning a deep scarlet."D-Do not!"

Jin pats his head, trying to soothe his embarrassment. "That's okay, Kook. It's nothing to be embarrassed about. One day you'll love someone and you'll want to spend all your time with them. You'll get married, become mates, and live happily ever after."

Taehyung turns in my lap, his curiosity hitting me full force. "What's mating, Daddy?"

The circle goes quiet, everyone waiting to see how I handle this situation. I swallow, the room suddenly feeling a lot hotter. This wasn't a conversation I wanted to have today, or ever for that fact. I had always hoped that Taehyung would just never ask me.

It was a hopeless dream, after all.

"Mating is, uh, well you see...." I take a deep breath. "Mating is something you do with the person you love. You give each other little marks-"

"Like tattoos?" He asks.

"Kind of. But they're more special than that. You know why?" He shakes his head. "Because it's something that only you two share. It links you together, bonds the two of you, forever and ever."

Jungkook turns to Jin, his gaze darting between his parents. "You guys are mated, right Daddy?" 

Jin nods, a smile on his face. "Your daddy and I have been mated since before Yoongi and Jimin. It's been around 11 years since we mated."

"That's a long time," Tae points out.

"Well sometimes when you meet someone, you know they're the one meant for you. You already feel like you know them, know that your life is meant to have them in it." He shrugs, his hand drifting to grab Namjoon's. "It may seem like a long time to you, but for us, it feels like,just yesterday."

"Do you have a mark?"

Jin tugs down his collar, the kids scooching closer to get a better look. There on his shoulder are two crescent marks, each one a deep purple. Black lines run through them, crisscrossing across the expanse of Jin's skin. Namjoon's eyes stray to them, his gaze soft - his thoughts probably going to the matching set on his own skin. The marks certainly were pretty.

So pretty you could barely tell it originally spread from a bite mark.

Jin pulls his shirt back up, Tae retreating back to my lap now that the show was finished.

"Does Uncle Hoseok have one?"

"Unfortunately, no," Hoseok sighs.

"Why not?" Tae pouts.

"Well, you see, mating is something Alpha's and Omega's do. As a Beta, I can't mate."

"What do you do if you really love someone?"

"We get married," Hoseok explains. "We get married and are bonded that way."

"But you still get to be in love?"

"Yes," his eyes drift to mine then back to Tae's, "We get to be in love."

“And you, Daddy?” Tae turns around. “You have one too, right? A mark?”

My hand drifts unconsciously to my shoulder, even through the fabric of my shirt, I can still feel the little bumps there - the evidence of a bond that’s long since gone silent on the other side. I take a shuddering breath, trying to push through the emptiness I can feel creeping over me. “I do,” I finally manage to choke out. I pull my shirt down, not as much as Jin had since my mark is up higher. I look up at the ceiling, trying not to think about what I’m showing, but when Tae sucks in a breath, I know he sees the difference. Two crescents sit on my shoulder, the black outline of them popping out against the paleness of my skin. At one point they had been a beautiful gradient of colors, the center a dark pink and gradually transitioning to black as it neared the edge. 

Now the colors were nothing like they used to be - the mark was a washed out, faded version of its former self.

 

Much like I am of myself.

Fingers touch my skin, but retreat when I flinch. I look down, guilt flooding when I meet Taehyung’s sad gaze. “It’s faded,” He observes, his eyes moving back to the mark. I don’t say anything, just nod. I avoid the sympathetic gazes I know my friends are giving me, opting to keep my eyes on the rug just passed Taehyung’s head. “Why is it faded? Uncle Jin’s is like super bright.”

“Tae-” Jin starts, his voice quiet.

“It’s fine,” I say, taking a breath to steady myself. I close my eyes for a second, collecting my thoughts, then meet my son’s eyes. “You’re right, Tae. My mark is faded.”

“Why?”

“It happens when a bond is broken,” I explain. “When people no longer want to, or are unable to, be mates anymore. The bond breaks and what is left is what you see, a washed out reminder of what used to be.”

“Y- Your bond is broken?” He frowns, creases forming on his small forehead. “The one with Jimin? With my other dad?” I nod. Tears build in his eyes, his voice shaky when he asks, “Why?”

“If I tell you, it’ll spoil the rest of the story.” I rub my finger across his forehead, smoothing the wrinkles there. “Don’t you want to hear how it all went down? Or does knowing it doesn’t end the way you hoped make you not want to hear it? Because we can stop if you want.”

“No!” His eyes go wide, his hands grabbing the front of my shirt. “I- I want to hear it.”

“You sure?” He nods and quickly wipes his tears away. He turns back around in my lap, settling so he’s facing the room once again. I keep my eyes on the back of his head, not ready to see the pity I know is written all over my friend’s faces. 

“I’m ready, Daddy.”

“Well then,” I sigh. “Where were we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo~
> 
> After this chapter things start to pick up (and there may or may not be small clues as to what happened to our dear sweet Jiminie(: ) 
> 
> I hope you guys are still enjoying the story! I always love your comments! I love you guys T-T
> 
> Let me know what you think!


	15. Then

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/31792244707/in/dateposted-public/)

I pace the dressing room, wringing my hands together - my anxiety levels completely through the roof. I glance at the clock again, the seconds ticking by as if mocking me.

Trying to ignore the ball in my stomach, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. 

The assigned time to be here was 8 AM, and it was now 8:03.

Where in the world was Hoseok?

The door bangs open, startling me. Hoseok grins at me, two garment bags thrown over his arm.

"You're late."

"By what? 4 minutes?" He rolls his eyes, walking passed me to hang the bags on a rack against the wall. "Relax, Yoongs."

"How am I supposed to calm down?" I fist my hands together, resuming my pacing. "Do you know what today is?"

"Of course I do, I've only been helping to plan this for the last year," he grumbles. "You're getting married! In just a few hours you and Jimin will be Mr. and Mr. Min."

"Exactly."

"Exactly what?" He stops, his eyes going wide. "Wait, are you having second thoughts?"

"Wha-"

He rushes over, his hands gripping my shoulders. He leans in, his voice quiet. "As your best friend, and your best man, it is my job to make sure you know what you're doing. As Jimin's friend, I should tell you that you should stay and get married. But if you need a getaway driver, I'm right there with you, buddy."

I wait for him to tell me that he's joking, but he just stares at me, his face serious. I crack a small smile, pushing him away from me gently. "What are you saying? I'm not having second thoughts."

"You sure?"

"Positive, I want this. More than anything." I sigh, blinking slowly. "I just hope Jimin does." 

"It's obvious he does," Hoseok rolls his eyes. "He's been going crazy planning all this. He acts like this marriage is the best thing to ever happen to him." He moves behind me, grabbing my shoulders and pushing me forward. "Now, let's get you ready."

He pushes me down into a chair, my reflection staring back at me from the mirror across from me. Grabbing some brushes from his bag, Hoseok works on my hair.

"Speaking of marriage," I say, breaking the silence. "Any idea when you're gonna settle down?"

Hoseok falters for a second, his mouth dropping into a grimace. Then, like nothing happened, his smile is back in place, a forced laugh escaping him. "Why would you ask me that?"

I shrug. "I was just wondering if you had your eye on someone."

"Not anyone available," he mumbles.

"What, are you in love with an idol or something?" I laugh.

He laughs, his smile falling slightly. "Yeah, something like that."

“Well you know, once you become a super famous dancer, you might catch their eye.”

“Maybe,” he says halfheartedly, “who knows.” He puts his hands back on my head, turning my head so I stare back at the mirror. “Enough about me, this is your day. Let’s get you ready.”

❖❖❖❖❖

I pull at the sleeves of my suit, clenching the white fabric in my fingers. I adjust my tie for the 100th time, pushing it around until it’s perfectly centered. 

“You look fine,” Hoseok chastises, smacking my hand away. I shove my hands in my pockets to keep from fidgeting again, and hopefully to avoid more scolding from the man beside me. Hoseok straightens out his own tux, his outfit the opposite of mine. Where my suit is all white, his is black with gold lining - matching the gold bowtie around his neck. He catches me looking, his lips pulling up into a smirk. “See something you like?” I roll my eyes, turning to look out the window, watching as people mingle and find their seats.

When Jimin had brought up the idea for an outdoor wedding, I originally argued against it. What if it was too hot? What if it rained? And all that sun? No thanks. But looking at it now, I was glad that I relented and let him have his way.

A white carpet runs the span of the field, rows of white chairs placed on each side of it. Lanterns are spaced along the aisle, the lights flickering in the twilight. Strings of lights are hung above, dancing along the edges like fairies come to enjoy the festivities. An aisle sits at the end of it all, the dark wood circled with lights and small white flowers. 

Although I gave Jimin the option of a more expensive wedding, he still went with his idea for a small, intimate ceremony, with the world and our friends to witness us as we swear to love each other for the rest of our lives.

“How is our groom?” I turn towards the voice, seeing Jin as he enters the room. He’s clad in the same tux as Hoseok, the fabric glinting in the flickering light from outside. I look over him, watching for any signs of discomfort. He had been upset last week when we had to get his tux altered.

The original fitting hadn’t taken into account that Jin would be three months pregnant and beginning to show by the time that we would be getting married.

“I’m fine.” I lean around him, “How’s Jimin?”

“If you’re looking for him, you won’t see him. You know it’s bad luck to see each other before you get married.”

“Ah yes,” I roll my eyes, “That’s why he had to stay at your place last night, right? And not so you guys could get together and gossip?”

He gasps, bringing his hand to his chest. “You think we would do that? I’m devastated.”

“I absolutely do think you would do that. Was Joon home?”

“You know he wasn’t. He had to stay late to make sure a deal went smoothly.”

“The work of a CEO never truly stops,” I say, nodding.

“Well I sure hope it will when our little guy comes,” Jin says, his hand going to his stomach. 

“So it’s a boy?” Hoseok asks.

He blushes, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. “Well obviously it’s too soon to tell, but when I imagine him I always see a boy.”

“Hm,” I hum. “I can’t really imagine you and Namjoon having a girl.”

“Right?”

The door opens, cold air rushing in as my mother steps inside, a smile lighting up her face when she sees me. “Yoongi!” She rushes over, reaching up to grasp hold of my cheeks. “How are you dear? Happy, I hope.”

“Of course, Eomma. You know how much I wanted this.”

“Of course,” she smiles. “And with such a lovely boy as well. I’m so happy for you.” She lets go of me, stepping back. She looks at Hoseok, greeting him with a hug and kiss on the cheek. She grins when she looks at Jin, “Jin, dear, you look lovely. How are you feeling?”

“Much better. Really tired, but the morning sickness has died down, thankfully.”

“You’re lucky. Someone-” she gives me a pointed look, “-had me sick the whole nine months. It was horrible.”

“Are you here to see your only son get married or to celebrate Jin’s pregnancy,” I grumble, pretending to sulk. 

My mother rolls her eyes, waving me off. “Oh hush. When you and Jimin have a child I’ll be even more excited.”

The door opens, Namjoon poking his head in. “We’re ready for you, Yoongi.” I nod, his head disappearing back outside.

I take a deep breath, my earlier anxiety coming back. My mom steps back to my side, sliding her arm into mine.

“It’s showtime.”

The walk down the aisle is nerve-wracking. I could feel everyone’s eyes on me as I focus on keeping in time to the music, and of course on not tripping as well. If there was ever a horrible time to be klutzy, it would be right now. Namjoon stands at the altar, giving me and encouraging smile.

When we reach the end, I kiss my mom on the cheek, watching as she struggles to keep tears at bay as she takes her seat next to my aunt.

Hoseok and Jin come out next, their arms interlocked as they move gracefully down the aisle. They part at the end, Jin going to Jimin’s side and Hoseok coming to stand by me. Namjoon and Jin share a smile and I wonder if they are thinking back to their wedding, back to when they swore to love each other for the rest of their lives. 

Forever was a long time to love someone, you know? To be with one person the rest of your life, to have them know you even better than you know yourself. It was a scary idea to think about.

Or at least I used to think so.

Before Jimin came into my life. 

Now all I wanted was forever with him. To grow old with him at my side and think back on the life we’ve had together. 

And the first step of that starts right here, right now, with this wedding.

The music starts up again, the guests rising as the wedding march begins to play. I take a deep breath, looking back to the house-

The first glimpse of Jimin has me weak in the knees, my breath cutting out for a second. His tux clings to his body, the colors the inverse of mine. My suit is white with a black ties, while his is black with a white tie. The perfect Ying to my Yang. His hair is styled up, the pink locks brushed aside to show off his forehead and perfectly sculpted face.

The second glimpse of Jimin has me thanking whatever forces brought him to me that first night.

What had I done in a previous life to deserve forever with Jimin?

He looks up, his eyes meeting mine. A smile breaks across his face and tears spring to my eyes. I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to keep the tears from falling as I watch him move down the aisle, each step agonizingly slow - his gaze never leaving mine. 

He finally reaches me, his hand slipping into mine as he stands across from me. For the frist time, I notice that Jimin’s eyes are just as watery as my own, his emotions runnign just as high as mine. A stray tear runs down his cheek and I quickly brush it away.

“Welcome everyone,” Namjoon adresses the crowd. He stands between us, his suit a simple gray. I had asked him to officiate our wedding, as there was no one else I trusted to give us the wedding we wanted. He knew us, and could cater the ceremony more to what he thought we would like. “We are here today to witness the joining of two souls, two hearts that were always meant to become one. If anyone feels like there is any reason that Jimin and Yoongi should not be married, please speak up now.” Silence fills the crowd, no one speaking up. Namjoon laughs. “That’s what I thought. Now-” He looks between the two of us. “-have you prepared your own vows for each other?” 

I nod, “Yes.” 

“Okay, then the stage is yours,” Namjoons says, stepping back a bit.

“Can I go first?” Jimin asks quietly. I nod. He closes his eyes, his shoulders rising as he takes a deep breath. He pulls a small sheet of paper out of his suit jacket. When he opens his eyes back to me, I’m lost in the depths of the love I see in them before he looks down at the paper in his hands. 

“Three years ago, I was a mess. I was broken, lost, and ashamed of what I am. To me, being an Omega was a disgrace. Something that, for eighteen years, I was always told made me dirty, unwantable.” Anger rolls through me and I want nothing more than to speak up, to tell him that none of that was true. “But today, three years later, I am none of those things that I was at eighteen. I am whole. I am found. And I am proud to be an Omega.” He looks up, his voice cracking as a tear falls down both our cheeks. “And that is all because of you, Yoongi.” He sucks in a shuddering breath, more tears tracking lines down his cheeks. 

“I went out that night expecting to get drunk enough to forget that I was celebrating an existence that I didn’t care about. But there you were, with that pout all over your lips as you stared at me from across the room. I had never really believed in anything before that night, I had no reason to.” He gently squeezes my hand. “But that night, I started to believe in love, in you. And in myself, in my own worth. I am who I am, all because of you. So I give myself to you today, with the hope that love will get us through it. Believing in love has gotten us this far, so why not forever?”

He goes quiet, slipping the paper back into his jacket. He reaches up, wiping tears that, so lost in his words, I hadn’t even noticed were falling down my cheeks. I want to wrap my arms around him, to pull him to me and never let go. 

But now wasn’t the time for that. 

Because now it was my turn.

“I’m not entirely sure how I’m supposed to follow that,” I laugh shakily. I clear my throat, hoping my voice would come out steadier than I feel. “But I guess I’ll try.” He squeezes my hands, giving me an encouraging smile. I pull my own vows out, my eyes skimming across the messy writing. 

“Promises were never something that I was big on. What was the point of them when most of the time they fell through? It was just something you said to placate another person. Pretty words to make them feel better.” 

I meet Jimin’s eyes, holding them. “But right now, in front of all our family and friends, I want to make you a thousand promises, Jimin. Love, acceptance, a family, I want to promise you all of it. My heart, my soul, all the pretty words my mind can come up with, they’re yours - as they have been since that first moment I laid eyes on you.” Tears run down his cheeks, but his wide smile never falters. “You spoke about what you were in the beginning, now allow me to do the same. In the beginning, I was afraid. After that first night, I was too afraid to even call you. What if you rejected me? What if you eventually saw me as everyone else did? Cold, uninterested, someone that they could never truly see through or understand. And that fear, that insecurity, kept me from you for a whole month. And in the end, I still wasn’t the one that called you.” I hear Namjoon let out a small chuckle. “Namjoon called you and although it had been a month with zero contact from me, you still came. You came for a stranger that you had only spoken to briefly, but had managed to understand more than anyone else before you. Even better than myself.” I smile, confidence blooming in my chest. “I’m not afraid anymore, Jiminie. I was afraid of the strength of my feelings for you, but no more. I embrace them, I want them more than anything. So here I am. And I promise to never let fear come between us again, to never run from my feelings. I believe in love, Jimin. And I promise that for the rest of my life, I will continue to believe in love.”

Namjoon steps back forward, his cheeks damp and a smile on his lips. “That was beautiful.” He clears his throat, turning to Jimin. “Do you have the rings?” Jin and Hoseok step forward, each of them producing a silver band. Jimin and I each take one, sliding them onto each other’s fingers. Namjoon nods. “Do you, Jimin, take Yoongi to be your mate? To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, til death do you part?”

Jimin grins, his fingers sliding over the ring on my finger. “I do.”

“And you, Yoongi.” Namjoon turns to me. “Do you take Jimin to be your mate? To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, til death do you part?”

I squeeze Jimin’s hands, “I do.”

“I now pronounce you mates, you may kiss the groom.”

I pull Jimin to me, doing just that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T-T  
> excuse me while I go cry in a corner...
> 
> Good news: Another Update! Yay! 
> 
> Bad news: I'm having a little trouble with my eyes :( Screens and bright lights leave me with splitting headaches. I've been trying to push through it for the sake of the story but they're getting worse and I can't manage them anymore. You guys are always so supportive of my updating schedule (even though honestly it sucks and even I get frustrated with it so its totally okay if you guys do too) and I thank you so much, but my chapters may take longer to update since I have to write in little spurts to avoid hurting my eyes too much. At least until I can get examined.... 
> 
> I'm really sorry T-T 
> 
> But thank you, as always, for reading and (hopefully) enjoying the story!
> 
> Feel free to let me know what you think! 
> 
> XOXO


	16. Then

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back!!! 
> 
> I wanna thank everyone who said they hoped I felt better! The cast is off and I am now in a brace for a few more weeks (still not allowed to use it T-T ) but I've been encouraged to try bending it every now and then to try and have a shot at avoiding physical therapy and what better way to do that than to start typing? (actually not supposed to do it, but I've never been good at listening to the rules so they can fight me). So we're back!
> 
> Truth is, I've been handwriting this chapter slowly since I got injured 5 weeks ago, so I'm hoping you guys enjoy it! 
> 
> ****WARNING: SMUT AHEAD*****DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU***** TURN BACK NOW IF YOU'RE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH IT***********

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/47171345432/in/dateposted-public/)

“Hello Maui!” Jimin yells, stepping off the plane. People pass him by, giving him sideways glances as he continues to stand there, blocking the way. Jimin pays them no mind, instead turning to me with a grin on his lips. “It’s pretty, right Yoongi?”

Looking at him, you wouldn’t even think that he just got off a twelve hour flight or that it’s late at night. He looks energized, his face bright as he gazes up at the night sky. His clothes, jeans and a shirt instead of the suit we wore to our wedding, are only a little crumpled, his hair somehow still looking amazing even though it’s messy from when he was sleeping.

I’m certain that I don’t look as good as he does. I can already feel my hair sticking up from where I laid against Jimin’s shoulder on the flight. My clothes feel gross, like I’ve been wearing them for days. I’m tired and my body is confused as to what time it is due to the jet lag, but I find Jimin’s enthusiasm endearing anyway.

I chuckle at his excitement, hitching my camera bag higher on my shoulder. It’s night time, we haven’t even stepped out of the airport and, last time I checked, grumpy travellers were not the ideal definition of ‘pretty’. “Not as pretty as you, Mr. Min,” I say. Jimin blushes a bright red, quickly turning away from me and stalking down the hallway.

We got married yesterday, yet Jimin still blushes and gets flustered when I call him by his new last name or bring up the fact that we are now, in fact, husbands. He thinks I’m a bully for teasing him, but I think he’s too cute when he gets flustered for me to not tease him. I can’t resist. 

I catch up to him, falling into step beside him and slipping my arm around his waist. “I’m sorry for teasing, Jiminie.” I press my lips to his cheek. “You’re just too adorable when you get embarrassed.” He stays quiet, a pout on his mouth. I attack the die of his face, pressing kisses to every inch of available skin. “Forgive me,” I whine, still pecking away.

“Alright, alright,” he laughs, pushing me off. “You’re such a kid.”

“If I’m a kid, then what does that say about you?” I raise a brow. “You married me after all.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“You even took me out of the country,” I state. “Should I tell the police I’ve been kidnapped?”

“I’m sure they’ll believe that I - a young Omega, kidnapped you - an Alpha,” Jimin giggles. “Really they’d probably just laugh at you.” He leans closer, whispering in my ear. “Guess you’re stuck with me and _whatever_ my plans are.”

The smell of strawberries tickles my nose, my heart rate picking up, my palms getting clammy. I lower my voice, “Jimin are- are you-”

“In heat,” Jimin says quietly, answering my question before I finish getting it out. “I shouldn’t be. It shouldn’t be for a few more days, but I feel weird. My skin feels tight, my clothes too constricting.” I see a few Alpha’s look our way, their eyes hooded as they look over Jimin. I step closer, letting my pheromones smother him in an attempt to cover his scent. “Yoongi,” Jimin grits out. “I know you’re trying to help but the- the scent of you is driving me crazy.”

I try to ignore the way his words affect me, the way my shorts suddenly feel too tight. Taking a deep breath, I try to stay calm - which grows more difficult by the second when Jimin’s intoxicating smell is all around me. I grit my teeth, fighting my instincts that tell me to take him, to claim him the way his scent is begging me to. I grab his hand, his skin burning up against me. “It’s going to get a lot worse. Try to fight it as much as you can. I’m going to get us to the villa as fast as I can, okay?”

“Oh-,” he pants, swallowing audibly. “Okay, Yoonie.”

I move us through the airport quickly, Jimin doing well to keep up with me despite how hard I know it has to be for him. Heat’s were always difficult for us, as we spent them apart so as to avoid any “accidents”. I had always camped out at Namjoon and Jin’s, leaving the apartment before Jimin’s smell could pick up. We were supposed to be prepared for this one, to be settled in for our honeymoon before the symptoms even started showing but now everything was quickly spiraling out of control. I thought I knew what I was getting into.

But then again, I had never smelled Jimin when he was in heat.

I breathe as little as possible, needing to keep my mind clear. It’s a good thing we spent all the other heats apart, I’d have never been able to control myself in the privacy of our home. Even now, completely out in the open, my instincts are warring with each other; my Alpha genes pushing me to claim what’s mine, my protective instincts knowing it’s not safe for Jimin here, that I need to get him away from the other Alpha’s.

“How you doing, Chim?”

“It’s so hot,” he whines, the smell getting stronger. 

We turn a corner and I give his hand a soft squeeze as the door appears. “I know, love. Just give me a few more minutes, okay?”

“Mmm.”

Pushing through the door, I pull a key out of my pocket, clicking a button. Our rental car beeps off to the left, the grey exterior glinting under the streetlights. I steer Jimin, who is now beginning to lag behind, towards it. Opening his door and taking his bags form him, I push him in softly. I buckle him in, small groans escaping him when my hand brushes his chest. I try to ignore what that sound does to me. Closing his door, I throw our bags in the back, running around to my side and sliding in. 

“Just a little longer, Chim,” I promise, putting the car into gear. I glance around, pulling out quickly when I see the coast is clear. “Where we’re staying isn’t very far from the airport.” Jimin doesn’t reply. Worried, I glance over - just to see him struggling to undo his buttons - his collarbone peeking out. “What are you doing?”

“Hot, so hot,” he pants.

A wave of strawberries floods the car, my mouth watering. I tighten my grip on the steering wheel, my knuckles going white. “Jimin,” I groan. “I need you to try and calm down for me.” He gives me a noncommittal hum, and I know he’s too far gone to give me what I ask. I drive faster, my body buzzing with pent up energy. 

“Yoongi,” Jimin moans and it takes everything I have not to pull the car over right there. “Yoongi.” I look over - the car swerving a bit before I get it back on track. Jimin has his eyes closed, his head thrown back as his hands glide up his stomach, my eyes drawn to the patch of skin he’s letting show. I gulp, biting my lip. 

With more willpower than I thought I had, I tear my eyes away and back onto the road. We pas through a gate, the trees around us thinning as we continue along the driveway. Trees turn to sand, a villa rising from it’s solitary spot on the beach, I could almost cry from seeing it. A light on the first floor is on, the other two remaining dark, which means the groundskeeper should have left it unlocked for us. 

Pulling up in front, I barely have the car off before I’m jumping out and rounding to Jimin’s side. His door flies open before I can get to it, his arms wrapping around my neck in the next second. 

He pushes me against the back door, his mouth crashing into mine - a groan rumbling through him. I break - my self control hitting it’s limit.

Flipping our positions, I push him back against the metal, nipping his bottom lip. He gasps and I take advantage of the opening, my tongue sweeping in to taste him. Sweetness coats my tongue, the smell of strawberries getting stronger as Jimin moans, his hands digging into my hair. 

Trailing my hands down his sides, shivers wracking his body when I slip under his shirt. I keep my hands on his hips, my thumbs drawing circles on the skin there as I pull away from his lips, Jimin whining from the loss - the sound dying off as I bury my face in his neck. I ghost my lips down his collarbone, my thumbs still drawing on his skin. He bucks against me, his hands fisting in the hair at the base of my skull.  
“More,” he moans. “Yoongi-” the sound of my name on his lips drives me wild, my cock pulsing. “Touch me,” he whines. I smile against his skin. Reaching up, I grab the front of his shirt - and pull roughly, the buttons popping off, his shirt falling open for me. Jimin gasps as I slide my hands up his sides oh so slowly, his body shaking against me. I stop above his nipples, just hovering there - denying him the pleasure I know he wants. “Yoongi,” he groans. “I-”

His complaint turns into a moan as I bite his shoulder, my fingers coming down to flick his nipples at the same time, the peaks pebbling under my fingertips. I swirl around them, his hips bucking against me, searching for any friction at all. I grind my hips forward, a groan slipping through my lips as our cocks grind against each other. 

“I- I need you,” he pants, his hands grabbing my shoulders. I grunt my approval. Sliding my hands down his body, he groans when I grab his ass, lifting him against me easily. He wraps his legs around my hinds, grinding against me. Pulling back from him, I meet his lust-hazed eyes. Leaning in, I nip at his bottom lip, running my tongue along the soft flesh of it. Jimin explodes, hsi hands tugging on my hair, his lips devouring mine. My body moves on auto-pilot, my arms keeping Jimin pressed against me while my legs take us to the house - the front door thankfully opening easily. 

Stepping over threshold and fumbling for the light switch, I set Jimin down, every inch of his glorious body sliding against mine the whole way. He makes to move towards me again, but I hold him by his shoulders, keeping us an arms distance away. Bending my head forward, I whisper, “I’m just getting us to a bedroom, Chim. I am not going to have our first time be on the floor. I’m sure at this point you wouldn’t care.” He whines, trying to push against my arms, only proving my point. “But after, when your mind has cleared a little bit, you’ll thank me.”

I step around him, dodging his arms when he tries to grab me. I smile deviously, dancing around his attempts to reach me. I run to another room, which appears to be the living room, turning around to find Jimin glaring at me. I pull my shirt off slowly, noticing how Jimin’s glare falls away, his eyes watching the hem move up inch by inch. I throw it on the couch, my lips tugging up in a flirty-smile as I beckon his forward. “Catch me, little Omega. As soon as you do-” I unbutton the top of my shorts. “-then you can have me.”

He shoots toward me and I take off, our footsteps stomping through the house as I lead him through room after room, taunting him every now and then with promises of what I’ll do to him when he catches me. 

I turn a corner, a smirk pulling at my lips when I recognize the doors to the bedroom. I throw the doors open, the lights flickering on from the movement, and stop - waiting patiently. My stomach tightens, arousal flooding me as Jimin pounces on me, his arms wrapping around my waist. “Caught you,” He calls out, goosebumps breaking out across my skin as his breath ghosts across my bare skin. He presses against my back, the hardness there showing me that the chase did nothing but work him up more. 

I turn in his arms, pulling him against me. I kiss him hungrily, the little moans he releases only egging me on as I pull him against me. I back us up slowly, steering us toward the four-poster bed in the middle of the room. My hands go to his shorts, undoing the button and slipping under the waistband of his boxers - his breath catching in his throat when I graze the tip of his cock, the length twitching. 

The bed hits the back of my knees and I fip us quickly, pushing Jimin down onto the bed. He stares up at me, his cheeks flushed, his chest heaving as he pants. I lean down, tracing my fingers across his nipples. “Caught you,” I whisper quietly.

I press a kiss to the corner of his lips, Jimin whining when I refuse to deepen it. I kiss a trail down his neck, my hands sliding his shirt off his shoulders to allow me access to the skin there. Jimin must take it the rest of the way off because I hear it hit the floor. I move farther down, nipping the spot above his heart before moving on.

Jimin gasps when I wrap my mouth around his left nipple, my fingers working the right one. He squirms below me, thrusting his hips against me desperately. Moving my knee forward, I press it to his length, a moan ripping from his lips as he finally finds the friction he was looking for. I pull my lips back, blowing on the pebbled peak before pressing another quick kiss to it. 

Dropping to my knees beside the bed, I worship his stomach, kissing the areas I know he’s insecure about. When I reach his shorts, I hook my fingers into the belt loops, pulling them down slowly - my lips following along. I free his cock, the length standing tall as I press a kiss to the base. Pulling back, I slide the clothes the rest of the way off, throwing them on the floor before returning my attention back to the needy Omega in front of me. 

Parting his legs, I move between them, trailing my tongue up the inside of his thigh, nipping at the sensitive skin where his leg meets his pelvis. I glance up at him, heat pooling in my stomach as I meet his eyes as he plays with his nipples, his bottom lip trapped between his teeth as he watches me. 

Keeping my eyes on his, I lean forward, taking the head of his cock in my mouth. His mouth drops open, his breath rushing out. Fingers tangle in my hair, a moan ripping from his chest. I swirl my tongue around the tip, savoring the way he shivers below me. I take him in farther, almost the whole way to the hilt, before sliding back up, letting my teeth gently graze the bottom of his member. He groans, pushing my head down. I let him, following along as he controls the tempo. 

His pheromones flare, the scent of strawberries flooding my senses - signalling that Jimin is near his climax. My body reacts in kind, my cock throbbing from where it’s still confined in my shorts. I reach down, rubbing the palm of my hand along it, pleasure streaking through me. Unzipping my shorts, I pull them down just enough to get myself out. I wrap my hand around the base of my cock, stroking in time to when Jimin thrusts into my mouth. I moan around him and he shatters, his hips faltering as he cums in my mouth, his mouth parting as he moans my name.

Pulling back, I swallow, watching as he comes down from his high. When his breathing evens out and he finally meets my eyes, I give him a little smile, “Head a little clearer?”

He nods, biting his lip. “Much. But Yoongi?”

“Hm?”

He glances away, biting his bottom lip. “I’m not done yet. I still need you,” he mumbles.

Standing, I let my shorts drop fully to the floor, stepping out of them as I lean over him. “I’m gonna need you to say that a little louder, Chim,” I whisper.

He meets my eyes, embarrassment coloring his cheeks. “I need you, Yoongi.”

I flip him over, pulling him up onto his hands and knees and pushing him further onto the bed. I kneel behind him, leaning over his back and pressing a kiss to his neck. “Why didn’t you say so sooner,” I tease. My fingers circle his entrance, his slick coating them already. “You ready? Deep breaths.” He does as I say and I slip a finger inside and soon another follows. I move them in and out, Jimin making small noises as I get him prepared. When I’m sure he’s properly prepped, I move behind him, lining myself up. I lean over, reaching for the condoms on the nightstand. 

“What are you doing?” Jimin asks.

“Well you’re in heat, so we need-”

“Are you sure? I know the risks and I’m fine if we don’t,” he says. My eyes fly to his, searching for any sign of hesitance. There are none, only lust and certainty.

“You sure?” He nods. I move back to my position behind him, grabbing onto his hips. “Okay.” I inch forward, my tip pushing passed his entrance. “Deep breaths, Jiminie. If it hurts to bad, let me know.” I push all the way in, my mind faltering from the pleasure shooting through me. My hips shake, wanting to move, but I keep them still, making sure Jimin has time to get adjusted to the size. 

Seconds pass as I hear him taking deep breaths. When he moves against me, a small moan escapes his lips and it breaks me. I thrust forward, my hips smacking into him as I bury myself deep into him, a groan leaving me as his walls clench around me. I pull back, leaving only the tip in, then thrust back in, Jimin crying out especially loud. I repeat it again, a shiver moving through him as I hit his most sensitive spot.  
I pound into him over and over, my stomach clenching when I see him fisting the sheets, my name leaving his lips in small pants. My pheromones flood the room as I near my end. Jimin’s body quivers, his Omega pheromones responding to my Alpha ones. I reach around him, stroking his length in time to my thrusts. Our scents mix together; light and strong, strawberries and bonfires, sweet and musky. 

My canines ache, the ball in my stomach coiling tighter and tighter. “Jimin,” I grit out. “I’m close. Can I-”

“Yes, god, yes.”

I pull out and flip him over below me, pulling his legs up to allow me better access. I lean down, capturing his lips as I thrust back in. Jimin grabs my shoulders, his nails sinking into my as he pulls me closer and closer. The ache in my mouths starts back up again and I lean back, my eyes drifting to Jimin’s shoulder, just a few inches from the crook of his neck. 

I lean down, licking the spot, a moan leaving me when I feel Jimin do the same. I thrust faster, my pleasure spiking as the ball comes undone. I sink my teeth into Jimin’s shoulder, marking him as mine. He shakes under me, his release shooting between us as he bites me as well, my climax swallowing me as his teeth sink into me, mating us. 

The haze clears and I pull back, lapping lightly at the mark I’ve made - the mark that claims Jimin as mine for the rest of our lives. I press a soft kiss to it before rolling off of him. I meet his gaze, his brown eyes mostly clear of the lust from his heat; at least for now. The need and urgency will return later but for now he’s content to lay with me. 

I reach out, stroking his cheek, a smile lighting up his face. His fingers trace my jaw, sliding down my neck to trace the mark there, a matching one to his own. I watch as the bite mark transforms, the mating taking root. 

A crescent moon follows the lines of my teeth marks, the line a dark black. Magenta begins to color in the left side, the color darkening as it continues along his skin, until eventually it blends in with the black outline. 

“Wow,” I breathe, my thumb tracing the mark. It’s not raised like I expected it to be. I thought it would be more like a tattoo in that way, but it’s completely flat, like it’s always been there.

“Hey Yoongi.” I look to Jimin, finding him grinning at me. “We’re mates.”

I beam at him, pulling him to me. I press a kiss to his smiling lips, not caring that we’re both a mess, that I’ve left our bags outside, or that this wasn’t how we planned for this to happen. 

All that matters is that it did happen.

I press another kiss to his forehead, whispering my amazement against the skin there-

“Mates.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not confident in my smut-writing skills, so I hope that wasn't terrible. 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed! Let me know what you think!
> 
> I'm so glad to be back!!!
> 
> xxoooxxxxooooooooxxxxxoooo


	17. Then

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/46398348745/in/dateposted-public/)

Sunlight burns my eyelids, rousing me from my dreams. "Close the curtain, Jimin. It's too early," I mumble, rolling over. I bump into a warm body, my eyes shooting open.

Jimin lays beside me, his eyes still closed as he sleeps like a baby. I glance to the clock, noting that it's passed noon already. It's unusual for him to still be asleep by now, especially for him to sleep longer than me. 

But he's been doing that a lot lately. 

Sleeping is how he spends most of his time these days. Waking up late in the morning and taking little naps throughout the day. He's probably just exhausted, his dance schedule has been hectic since we got back from our honeymoon six weeks ago.

I rise slowly, doing my best to not wake him. Pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, I slip from the bed. 

Dressing quickly, I think of the projects I need to work on. There's a few small ones that require minimum work. But my biggest problem is due this week - pictures from a wedding I was in charge of photographing. 

I need to finish the bridal party photos today, putting the finishing touches on them, and packaging them to send out the next morning. 

A knock sounds when I enter the living room, startling me. "It's too early for this," I grumble. By normal people standards, it really isn't but who goes by that anyway.

I open the door, immediately going to shut it when I see my visitor.

Jin sticks his foot out, catching the door as he glares at me. "Is that anyway to greet your very-pregnant best friend?"

"Whatever," I scoff. I move out of the way, letting him in. My eyes go down to his stomach, the bulge there growing more pronounced every time I see him. "Namjoon dotes too much on you now that you're pregnant." 

"You'll see when eventually you start a family." He stops in the living room, his hand absently rubbing against his stomach as he looks around. "Where's Jimin? We're supposed to go for lunch today."

"In the bedroom," I say, moving to the kitchen. Rummaging around in the fridge, I call back out to him. "He's still sleeping. He hasn't been feeling well the passed week, spends most of his time either in the bathroom, dancing, or sleeping."

"Really?"

I close the fridge with my hip, the ingredients for an omelet held in my arms. I nod, setting the ingredients down and pulling down a pan. "Yeah. Must be a bug or something going around. I havent caught it yet, though."

He moves to the counter, leaning over it to watch me closely. "Anything else weird?"

Raising my brow at him, I go back to making my eggs. "Maybe. But I spend a lot of time at the studio so I wouldn't really know."

"Of course," Jin grumbles. I can feel him as he stares at me. If he doesnt stop soon it'll burn a hole through my skull.

Footsteps plod towards us, a yawn sounding through the room as Jimin enters. He wears an over-sized pair of pajamas, the striped fabric swallowing him, his pink hair a mess. He gives me a sleepy smile, his hand rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Morning, Yoonie."

"Morning, Jiminie." I turn off the stove, sliding the omelet onto a plate. "I made you breakfast, love."

"What am I, chopped liver?" Jin pouts, putting his hands on his hips. 

Jimin looks to him, noticing his presence for the first time. "Jin! When did you get here?" 

Jin rolls his eyes. "Just a little bit ago. We were supposed to go for lunch remember?"

"Oh no," Jimin says, his face dropping. "I overslept. I'm sorry."

"Yoongi told me you haven't been feeling well, so I understand."

Jimin smiles, starting towards the counter and his food. Halfway there, he freezes, his face going green. He rushes out of the room, Jin and I quick on his heels as he rushes to the bathroom. He falls to the floor, his shoulders shaking as he vomits.

I go to him, rubbing circles against his back, whispering soothing words in his ear. Jin leans against the doorway, brows furrowed as he watches Jimin.

Jimin sits up slowly, wiping his mouth and leaning against me. I press a quick kiss to his hair. "I was going to go to the studio, but I'll stay if you need me, Chim."

"No, no," he refuses, sitting back to glare at me. "You have a deadline this week. Don't let me hold you back."

"But-"

"I can watch him," Jin says. I look to him and he shrugs. "Namjoon has a meeting with a potential author for most of the day so I'm free."

"You're sure?" 

He smiles. "Go, Yoongi. I've got him."

Jimin cups my cheeks, turning my head until our eyes meet. "It's okay, Yoongs." Lips turning up, he slides his thumbs along my cheekbones. "Jin has to get practice taking care of someone anyway. Why not let him practice with me?"

I roll my eyes, cracking a smile. I kiss his forehead, helping him to his feet. "You'll call me if you need anything right?" He nods quickly and I look to Jin - his head nodding as well. "Okay," I sigh. "I guess I'll go then."

I step away, Jin quickly moving to take my place. "Do you wanna try to eat? Crackers or toast would probably be good for your stomach. Or we could-" 

His words fade off as I leave the bathroom, grabbing my camera bag from the bedroom and slinging it over my shoulder. Sliding my shoes on, I call out. "Call me if you need anything! Love you!"

"We love you too!" Jimin yells back, Jin groaning. I roll my eyes as I hear Jimin snicker, the sound dying off as I slip into the hallway.

By the time I leave the studio the sun has already set, the stars twinkling in the inky sky above.

I push the door open, trying to be as quiet as possible as I flick on the light. Considering how late it is, Jimin's probably already asleep and I'd rather not wake him. I stow my bag in the closet, the door shutting softly.

Stepping into the living room, I freeze. 

A giant red arrow is pointing down to the floor, a small piece of paper sitting in the carpet. Wary, I pick it up.

"Follow the signs for a surprise!" -Jiminie"

Chuckling, I slip the paper into my pocket. Jimin must be feeling better if he's up to playing games.

I look around for the next sign, finding an arrow on the floor - the end of it pointing towards the bedroom. I start that way, more arrows appearing every few steps to keep me on track.

I roll my eyes. Did Jimin think I would get lost in our own apartment? 

The bedroom door is shut, a sign taped to it. Exclamation points litter the paper, 'SURPRISE INSIDE' written across it in bold letters.

I peek my head in, glancing around the room. No sign of Jimin. If he isn't the surprise, then what is? 

Pushing the rest of the way in, I scan the room. Nothing seems out of the ordinary until I look at the bed, a small box sitting on the blanket - it's white wrapping easy to spot against the navy blue of our sheets. 

Hesitantly, I lift it. There's a red bow on top and a note taped below it: "Surprise!" 

I lift the top slowly, my stomach in knots. 

At first all I register is the colors. White upon a pile of soft pink. Then I register what the things in the box actually are: pink tissue paper and a white stick.

But when I look closer I almost drop the box.

The stick is one of those digital pregnancy tests.

And the screen is lot up brightly, little letters spelling out what I was too dumb to notice.

The door creaks and I whip around, catching Jimin leaning against the door frame, a shy smile on his face.

"You're pregnant?" I whisper, my eyes going to his stomach.

"We're pregnant," he says, his hand dropping to his stomach. 

Dropping the box, I rush to him, squeezing him to me as hard as I dare to in his state - which really isn't that hard at all. 

"So you're okay with this?" He asks quietly.

I pull back, giving him a stern look. "Of course, I'm okay. More than okay actually." A smile breaks across my face. "We're having a baby!" I drop to my knees in front of him, my hands caressing his stomach. Pressing a soft kiss to his shirt, I look up to him.

He stares down at me, his eyes glassy and a shaky smile parting his lips. A tear slips through, running down his cheek. 

"We're going to be a family."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guysssss~~~~ Welcome back!!!!  
> I was gonna upload this chapter over the weekend but I'm going to be busy as tomorrow is my birthday (yah yeet ya girl is turning 21) and I'll be out and about all weekend!  
> I have the next chapter finished already... but beware it's short cause it's more of a build up to bigger things  
> Look forward to it!  
> Love you guys<3 Until next time!


	18. 17- Now

_Present Day_

"A baby?" Taehyung squeaks. "Is that me? Am I in the story now, Daddy?"

I press a kiss to the top of his head, his pink locks tickling me. "Yes, TaeTae. It's you."

"I can't believe you couldn't tell your mate was pregnant," Joon scoffs.

I glare at him over Tae's head. "What was I supposed to assume? He told me he didn't feel well, not that he was pregnant."

"I mean to be fair, Jimin himself didn't even know," Jin pipes up. "When Yoongi left for the studio I asked Jimin if he had anymore symptoms. I was already pregnant with Kook so I knew what to look for." He laughs. "You should've seen his face when that test came up positive. He was as excited as he was scared."

"Shouldn't you have been able to smell it on him?" Hoseok asks. "Isn't that an Alpha and Omega thing?"

"I wasn't really home," I mumble. "And when I was, I noticed his scent was different but I just put that towards him not feeling well."

"It's early to miss the smell when it's that early on," Jin explains. "It's not like when we get upset and our scent spikes, it's more subtle than that."

"You guys can smell each other?" Kook scrunches his nose. "Gross."

"Incorrect. They-" Hoseok points to us, "-can smell each other. I, your resident Beta, cannot."

"Do I have a smell, Daddy?" Tae asks, peeking up at me. 

"You're too young to have much of one right now, Tae." His face falls. "But when you're upset, you smell almost exactly like your Dada did."

"Really?" He beams, thrilled at the possibility of having more in common with this man he's never met. "What's it smell like?"

"Overripe fruit." I grimace, still remembering the smell even now. "When Jimin got upset, it would smell like strawberries were left out. The sickeningly sweet scent used to drive me crazy."

"I smell like that don't I? Then why doesn't it still drive you crazy?"

"I smelled it so much back then. When he was pregnant he was so moody. And then towards the end when he-" My breath freezes, my heart squeezing painfully in my chest. I stare towards the wall, my jaw clenched to keep my emotions at bay. "I both love and hate that smell," I say quietly.

"I don't smell any of you," Jungkook whines.

Jin rolls his eyes, ruffling his son's hair. "If Tae isn't old enough to smell or be smelled, then why would you think you are?"

"I'm older," he grumbles, crossing his arms.

"By like three months," Tae yells. "It doesn't count."

An argument ensues, my friends chuckling but doing nothing to stop it. Pulling the box closer, I rifle through it - careful not to let my eyes linger on any photo too long - before pulling out two photos. 

I hand him the first one, a small Polaroid, and his argument cuts off - his eyes on the photo.

Jimin lays on a hospital bed, his eyes filled with tears as he points at a screen beside him. It's too dark to see in the picture, but I know he's pointing at our first ever sonogram of Taehyung. 

Jimin had cried for almost ten minutes, unable to take his eyes off the screen. He even asked for a recording of Tae's little heartbeat.

And for the rest of that night, he couldn't keep his eyes off the little bulge on his stomach.

That was the night he told me Taehyung was boy, that we were having a son. I had asked him how he knew and he just smiled and told me he just knew. I didn't question him, instead just going

"What's he pointing at, Daddy?" Tae asks, as if he knows what I was just thinking about.

"That's the first time we ever saw you," I explain. "Our first real picture of you."

Bringing the picture closer to his face, he squints at it, his nose scrunching as he focuses. He drops the photo down with a sigh, "Dad I can't see anything on the screen."

"Yeah, yeah," I chuckle, handing him the second photo. This one's glossy, the edges starting to curl up around the edges. Taehyung takes it carefully, his fingers tracing over the black and white image. "You won't know what this is," I explain. "But this-" I point to a little space of black, a small, bean-shaped blob of white inside of it "-is you."

"I'm not a bean," Tae grumbles.

"Well not now, you're not," I laugh, mussing up his hair. "But you started out tiny and then you grew and grew until-" I clap my hands together "-you were a baby!"

"Do all babies start out tiny? Even Alphas?" Kook asks.

"Alphas, Omegas, and even Betas," Hoseok explains. "All babies start out small. But Omegas and female Betas keep their babies safe, protecting them until they're big enough to thrive on their own."

"Jimin protected me? My Dada?" Tae asks me quietly, tugging on my sleeve.

"You were the most precious thing in the world to your dads," Namjoon speaks. "Just as Kook is to Jin and I." 

"Jimin always did what was best for you," Jin says. "Straight up to the day you were born."

"Even when it wasn't best for himself," I mumble, my mind fading off into a memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> No usual banner today cause I'm sick 😔 Sorry for the delay in updates, I was at an anime convention (cosplaying takes a lot outta ya girl 😜) and got con plague so I've been sleeping a lot!
> 
> Short chapter... But its all build up!


	19. 18 - Then

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! Double Update! 
> 
> Love y'all 💜💜
> 
> ....hope you enjoy!

_December 30th, 6 years ago_

"Are you sure you really need to go in today?" I ask Jimin. "You're 32 weeks pregnant, Chim. I'm sure the class can get on just fine without you." 

Jimin wraps his scarf around his neck, his hand going to his stomach - the bump there refusing to hide under his layers of clothing. "I know how pregnant I am, Yoongi. We've talked about this." He moves to me, his walk now more of a waddle, his hands coming to rest on my shoulders. "My students have a recital this weekend and this is the final practice. I really want to be there for them."

My eyes slide to the window, taking in the flakes drifting down outside - slowly but surely blanketing the city in a coating of white. "But it's snowing," I argue. 

He rolls his eyes at my weak argument. "As if we've never driven in snow before. Would the 2 miles to the studio be considered a drive anyway? Debatable."

"I still don't like it," I grumble. "But, as long as you promise to call if you need anything, I won't totally freak out when you're gone."

He beams at me and I swear my heart could stop right there in that moment. If I got smiles like this, why wouldn't I give Jimin everything he wanted? "Thank you." He wraps his arms around my neck, pressing a kiss to my cheek. "I promise to call."

Burying my nose in his neck, I breathe him in - letting his strawberry and creme smell ease my worry. Jimin would be okay, I knew that. The drive wasn't far, it wasn't snowing that bad out, and he was more than capable of taking care of himself but still my instincts fought me on letting him go. I wanted to protect him, to keep him - and our child - safe.

Pulling back, I give my mate a soft kiss before dropping in front of him. I cradle his stomach in my hands. "Don't cause too much trouble for your DaDa, Tae," I coo, rubbing Jimin's stomach. Two small kicks hit my hand, my face lighting up in a smile. "I'll take that as an okay."

"He always kicks when you talk to him," Jimin sighs as I stand back up. "It's unfair."

"Don't worry. Sometimes I'm sure he's doing it just so he can hit me. He must've gotten his Dad's temper."

"You better be talking about you because I do not have a temper."

"Mhmmmmm and pigs fly." Jimin swats my arms and I gasp, cradling it as if I'd been shot. "See," I groan, "so much violence in such a little body."

He goes to swat me again and I dodge away, giggling. He chases me for a few seconds, but soon grows tired, his breathing coming in short, labored pants. "Okay, okay," he pants. "You win."

I'm at his side in an instant, gathering him into my arms. I squeeze him to me, whispering into his hair, "Please be careful, my love."

"I will," he assures me, pulling away from me. "I'll call you as soon as I'm on my way home." I nod, and then he's gone, the silence of our new home descending on me.

In the two months since we moved here, I spent very little of tgat time alone. Usually Jimin was here to brighten everything, and without him it felt duller, like the color had left with him. 

When we found out Jimin was pregnant, we quickly realized that our apartment didn't have enough space to accommodate a small child, or a nesting Jimin. 

So I bought a plot of land outside the city, but still close enough to our studio that it wouldn't be a problem to commute, and Jimin went to work designing our future home and I paid whatever it took to get it built quickly.

Traces of Jimin were everywhere, from the touches of blue around the room, to the modern design of the house. Pictures of us cover the walls, our smiling faces watching me from every corner.

I wouldn't lie, it was kind of creepy here without Jimin.

I move through the house and up the stairs, bypassing our room to the one next to it. 

Taehyung's nursery is almost finished, only a few minor things left to do. And with less than two months until our son arrives, we were making great time.

And really I had Jimin to thank for that. He designed the nursey and kept me on track with putting everything in place.

It turned out beautiful. The walls are white, the different moon phases lining them. The far wall is completely made of glass, the light blocked only by a sheer white curtain. The crib sits in front of it, a blue canopy covering one corner of it. 

I can't help but roll my eyes at the alpaca picture that hangs above the crib - a gift from Jin. I don't understand the purpose of it, but Jimin did and that's all that matters.

Ignoring the way it feels like it's eyes are watching me, I move to the closet, pulling out a large cardboard box. Inside is our last piece of furniture for the nursery, a white dresser for the piles of clothes that are taking up all the space in our closet. After this, the room will be finished and ready for when our little man comes home.

I turn on some music, letting myself get lost in the steps of assembling the dresser.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I jump as my phone rings, dropping the screwdriver on my shin. "Fuck," I groan, rubbing the sore spot. I grab the phone, shoving it to my ear. "Hello?"

"Hey hey hey." My face lifts in a smile, the pain from earlier forgotten at the sound of Jimin's voice. "I'm calling to let you know I'm on my way home."

"How was the class?"

"They're so cute," he gushes. "And they're getting so good. I can't wait to see the recital." 

I hear the click of his seatbelt, the car grumbling to life in the background. I wait a second, letting his phone connect to the bluetooth of his car. "How's the weather?"

"Snowing harder than earlier. But I'll be home before-"

He cuts off, and I wait for him to speak. "Jimin?" My heart pounds in my chest. "Jimin?"

"Sorry, sorry," he says. "I was pulling out and had to focus."

"Be safe, okay? Come home to me."

"Of course, worrywart. And Yoongi?"

"Hm?"

"I love-"

A horn blares, a scream joins in, and a terrible screeching noise tops it off as it fills my ear - creating a song that drowns me in dread and brings my world to a halt. 

And then the conductor stops and the world falls silent as the call drops and I'm left screaming for an encore that doesn't come.


	20. 19 - Then

Wind batters my body. Snow coats my already red skin.

I should feel the coldness of them on my skin, I know that.

But I don't.

I don't feel anything as I run down the street. Not the ground beneath me and definitely not the cold that's working it's way deep into my bones.

I'm too far gone for that.

A siren blares in the distance, adding to the song already playing over and over in my head, the title track to my despair.

My heart begs it to stop- cut the sound off, mute it, anything to not have to listen. 

But my brain doesn't listen, it keeps my ears functional, keeps me aware of the world around me. 

Both leaving me hopeful but full of dread, swimming but drowning at the same time.

As long as this song plays, Jimin may still have a chance.

But as long as it plays, it means he's in danger.

Turn it off. Keep it on. Don't listen. Focus solely on the sound.

My mind and heart war, too busy arguing with themselves to listen to the fact that my body is struggling - it's too cold, my lungs can't hold enough oxygen, my legs starting to feel stiff.

But still I push on, forcing my legs to keep going and focusing on the pain of my body instead of the tearing I can feel in my soul.

A crowd looms in the distance, their bodies bunched together, heads titled as they mumble to each other - another sound to add to the orchestra. 

I make my way to them, forcing my way through the crowd. Dirty looks are thrown my way, multiple people scolding me as I force through them.

I can't find it in me to care as I reach the front.

A barricade blocks me from the chaos - because that's exactly the word that comes to mind when I see the scene.

Bodies moving every which way, sirens wailing, the sound of metal screeching. Flares litter the ground, their red lights glinting off the shattered glass that litters the ground.

My eyes dart around, looking for any sign of my mate - but freezing when I see the main cause of the pandemonium in front of me.

Two cars stick together, creating a T of crushed metal. The front of one looks completely melded to the drivers side of the other, the red and silver forced together.

Silver. 

My heart races, the blood rushing through my ears drowning out all sound as I try to hop the barrier. Arms reach out to me and hold me in place, a policeman yelling at me.

But I don't hear him. My eyes and senses are completely focused on that flash of silver.

The silver of Jimin's car.

I struggle against the man holding me, my heart thudding against my chest. "Jimin!" I scream. "Jimin!"

"Sir-"

"Jimin!" I push harder, my captor struggling to hold me back.

Another ambulance arrives, bodies trickling out the back as the doors burst open. They rush to the cars, yelling to each other as they look through the windows. 

No longer struggling to get over the barricade, I watch as a woman crouches down to the empty hole where Jimin's window used to be, her face darkening as she takes in the scene. I wish I knew what she was seeing. Was my Chim already gone? My baby? 

She screams and more people rush to her. They move to the passenger side, forcing the door open. The woman crawls in, the man by her side handing her items, his mouth moving a million miles an hour.

I wish I knew how to read lips.

It feels like forever when she finally crawls back out, her face pale. My eyes are drawn to her hands - the hands that are now coated in blood. 

My struggles start up again, the man restraining me yelling for me to stop, to listen, to just calm down.

How am I supposed to do that when my whole world is in that car?

A flash of pink catches my eye, my attention drawn to it.

There, in the paramedic's arms, is Jimin, his pink hair a light in an endless sea of darkness - drawing me to him. 

"Tha-" my voice breaks and I swallow, trying to keep my cool as I turn to the officer. "That's my mate."

He looks between me and the medics, who are now loading Jimin's body onto a gurney, for a second then his arms drop and I'm free.

I'm over the barrier and rushing towards Jimin the next second, medics turning to me as I scream my husband's name.

The girl from before, the one with Jimin's blood all over her hands, turns towards me, one of her blood-soaked hands held up to stop me. "Sir, you can't-"

"That's my mate you have on that gurney," I growl, fed up with being stopped. "So either step aside, or I will move you."

She lowers her hand, pity marring her features as she drops her hand. I push passed her, walking quickly to an open space on the side of the gurney. 

My heart breaks when I finally see him.

His skin has lost it's glow, the paleness of it almost jarring compared to the blood staining most of his face. His hair is matted on one side, the pink strands doused in the dark liquid. He's covered with a blanket from the chest down, but red is already starting to seep through the white fabric.

"What happened?" I ask, tears choking me. 

We stop at the ambulance, the girl once again stepping off to wait with me as they load Jimin into the back. We climb in and it's a flurry of shouted orders and engines rumbling to life. It's not til I feel us moving that she answers me.

"It looks like the other car ran the light," she explains, pressing monotors to Jimin's chest. I keep my eyes on his face, not wanting to see the devastation on his skin. "They probably couldn't even see it in the snow. And they collided with your husband's-"

"Jimin, his name is Jimin."

She nods quickly, starting back up again. "They collided with Jimin's car."

"Will he be okay?"

"I'm not going to sugar coat it for you," she warns. "It's not good. He's lost a lot of blood. And a lot of the bones on his left side are broken, but the worst of the breaks is his arm."

"H-how?"

She looks up at me, a sad smile gracing her features. "He shielded the baby."

My eyes fall to his face, the face of the man I fell in love with, the face of the man I married.

The face of the man who risked his own body to save our child's life.

Sobs wrack my body, the tears that have been threatening to drown me taking over and swallowing me whole.

 

Something brushes my hand and I look down, my eyes meeting Jimin's barely open ones. 

"Don't cry, Yoongi."

"Chim," I sob, resting my forehead against his - not caring at all about the blood I'm probably getting all over me.

"The baby?" His hand twitches, a grimace twisting his lips at just that small movement. "Is Taehyung okay?"

I meet the medics eyes, hating the fact that she hasn't immediately reassured him that our baby will be fine. She swallows and looks away, "I will do everything I can."

But why did it sound like she wasn't sure? 

"That's good," Jimin mumbles, his voice the barest of breaths. His eyes start to droop, his hand going slack in mine.

Alarms blare, screams erupt from around me. I'm pushed back, a cry escaping me as I lose hold of his hand. 

The girl crawls on top of Jimin, her hands pushing on his chest.

Stop, I want to say. You'll hurt him, I want to scream.

But I can't seem to find my mouth, can't seem to get my brain to process the commands.

And then we're stopped, light flooding the cabin as the doors are wrenched open. They're pulling Jimin out, the girl still pumping his chest, and screaming at each other.

"We have to get the baby-"

"-surgery immediately."

"Someone page-"

I only catch snippets of their words, my eyes still riveted to Jimin's face. He was getting farther from me, too far.

I needed to be by him.

If I could just get to his side, everything would be okay.

I just know it.

I crumple as soon as I step out of the ambulance, my knees smacking the concrete. Come on, I curse my body. Move, I scream. 

But still I stay stuck, my body frozen as my mind moves light years ahead, wanting to stay with Jimin and far from this pain.

I keep my eyes on him the whole time, and when the doors close I stare at where I last saw him.

The alarm still blares in my ears, the sound tearing me apart. I try to search for the source, my ears straining-

But it's coming from me. From my own mouth.

I'm screaming and I can't seem to stop.

I had thought despair was the title track of my life, but I was so wrong. Because it's not-

Desolation is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .... 🙃🙃🙃 ....


	21. 20 - Then

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....before you read.... Just remember that i love you all 💜

"-oongi"

My head is underwater, the sounds around me muffled by it. My lungs scream for air, my brain begging me to just breathe.

"Yoongi-"

My mind tries to surface, my body waking up.

Was someone calling me?

I try to wade through the blackness of my mind, trying to make my way back to the voice. Jimin would be-

Jimin.

My heart clenches at his name, my breath choking me. I'm a open nerve, his name a wind breezing over me, shooting pain through me with every touch.

"Yoongi come on-"

Someone's calling me. I should open my eyes, should answer-

But did it matter?

Not anymore. Not without him.

I give up the fight, letting the darkness take me back, my mind receding into the numbness of it-

A baby cries, the sound clear despite the fogginess of my mind.

Taehyung.

I can't leave him.

I claw my way to my senses, Hoseok's face coming into view of my already open eyes.

"Hoseok," I croak, focusing on him.

His eyes water, a small smile gracing his lips as he cups my cheeks. "Thank god," he breathes. "I've been calling you for ages, but you just kept staring into nothing, tears running down your cheeks."

"Wha-"

He shakes his head, "I don't know anything. Namjoon was at your house, looking for you, when the phone rang. It was the hospital, apparently they couldn't find you. He and Jin rushed down here as soon as they could, and they searched until they found you in the ambulance bay." His eyes soften, the pity in them almost breaking me. "It's freezing out there, Yoongi. Why didn't you come inside? Namjoon said you were barely even there, like your body was just a shell but you were gone."

I look away from him, finally taking in my surroundings. I'm sitting on a chair in a private waiting room, a door closing us off from the rest of the world.

How do I explain to Hoseok that I don't remember even getting in here? That my mind shut down after those horrible alarms deafened me, my world inploding on itself.

"Namjoon brought you in hours ago," he explains. Rising off the floor, he takes the seat beside me, leaning his head back against the wall. "He and Jin went to get some food."

"I heard a baby," I say quietly, swallowing. I didn't want to ask about Jimin, about Taehyung.

"Little Kook is here with his parents. They didn't exactly have anywhere to take him in the rush."

My heart falls. So not Taehyung.

The door opens, voices flowing in. 

"He's going to need us to-" Jin's voice cuts off. "Yoongi."

I don't want to turn towards him, already knowing that I can't handle to see the pity in his eyes or the tears I hear in his voice. Staring at the floor, I ignore his attempts to call to me, not answering even when they're right in front of me.

"We just want to know what happened," Namjoon says quietly. "All we know is that Jimin was in an accident, if you could just tell us what happened we could help, we could try to-"

"Try to what?" I growl, squeezing my hands together. I whip my head up, their eyes widening at the tears in my own. "We can't make this better, Joon. So don't you dare try to say that we could try to." He opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "You can say it because you're there," I point to him, his perfectly safe mate and child by his side, "and I'm here." Alone. Mateless. Unsure of whether or not my family will make it through this.

"Yoo-"

"Would you be able to make it okay if you were in my position?" I ask him. "Would you be able to sit here and be optimistic when you've listened to-" tears break free, tracking down my cheeks as I sob, "when you've listened to your mate's heart stop."

The room goes silent at my admission, thw only sound that of Jungkook's soft breathing as he sleeps snuggled up against Jin's chest, oblivious to the world around him. 

I wish I had that kind of freedom.

"I.... We didn't-" Namjoom fumbles for words, his face crumpling as my words sink in. Jin drops into the chair behind him, tears running down his face. They all stare at me and I wait for someone, anyone, to break the silence. 

Suprisingly, Hoseok does it first.

"So Jimin... He's gone? And what about Taehyung? Jimin wouldn't-"

"He didn't exactly have a choice," I grumble. "A car hit him. Plowed right into the side of his car. When I got there they were loading him into the ambulance." Flashes of Jimin's blood-soaked hair hit me, my heart stuttering. "They said-" I take a deep breath, trying to fight back my tears. These were our friends, they deserved to know what happened. "They said he shielded the baby and it hurt him. Badly." The last word comes out as a croak as I remember Jimin's broken body, the arm that was at an unusual angle under the blanket, the way his scent was no longer sickenly sweet, instead smelling like rotting berries.

The door opens and I turn to see a nurse enter, her pink scrubs too bright for the somber mood of the room. I stand slowly, my knees shaking slightly. "Are you Jimin Min's family?" She asks quietly.

"I'm his husband, Yoongi." I shake her hand quickly, hoping she doesn't notice how mine are trembling. "What's going on?"

"If you'll follow me, I believe a lot of your questions will be answered." She scans the group behind me. "Your friends can come too, of course."

I hear them stand and we all follow her out of the room and into the hall, Hoseok taking the spot beside me. I glance over, noticing the red ring around his eyes. Looks like I wasn't the only one feeling the loss of Jimin.

She leads us through the halls, the walls changing from white to a soft yellow as she waves us through a door. A cry fills the air, startling me, but our guide remains unaffected.

We come to a glass window, the room inside filled with little bassinets. 

I look them over, confused until she speaks.

"If you'll look right there." I follow her finger to a blue bassinet, small birds dotting the outside. "That's your son."

"My son?" My mind stops, time freezing as I stare through the glass. "He's okay?" I press my hands against the window, leaning closer.

"He's premature so he's a little small, but yes he's okay." 

"That's good. So good," I mutter.

"Would you like to meet him?" I nod quickly, following after her as she speaks. "He's very lucky. Babies born this early are at risk for a lot of problems. They can have brain bleeds or have trouble holding their body heat." She leads me through a door, weaving us through the bassinets. She stops beside one, smiling at me over it. "But he's healthy. Almost perfect."

There's no almost - he is perfect.

Bundled in a soft blue blanket, he sleeps away, his little chest rising and falling smoothly. A thin layer of hair covers his head, so light that I almost can't see them. The strands are pink, just like Jimin's.

I cup his cheek, my thumb playing with one of the strands.

"Pink," I mumble. "Just like Jimin's."

"What was that?" The woman asks. I jump slightly, surprised that she was still stamding here.

"Oh, uh, nothing really," I stammer. "I was just saying how his hair is pink. Just like his father."

She smiles softly. "It's a rare color. If I hadn't seen him I would almost think it was dyed."

I stay quiet, my eyes on Taehyung. Jimin had gotten side glances his whole life for his hair color. He said it was a mutation in his genes, that not only was he a rare male omega but he also had an uncommon hair color to go along with it.

He was a one-of-a-kind person, always destined to stand out.

"He should be waking up soon, if you want to see him."

I look up, my hand freezing. "Taehyung will wake up soon?"

"Taehyung?" She scrunches her nose. "Oh, you mean the baby. What a nice name. But no, I don't mean him."

I tilt my head to the side, confused. Her eyes widen, her mouth opening and closing for a second.

"You don't know yet," her voice is laced with pity.

"Don't know what?" I ask, dropping my hand from the bassinet.

"Your husband, he-" she stops, twiddling her fingers. "I'm not usually the one to deliver this news. They should've already told you, but I guess with everything going on it's been-"

"Please just tell me," I wheeze out. If Jimin was dead, I wanted to know sooner rather than later.

"Your husband is out of surgery and in his room. He should be awake soon."

"Awake?" The word sounds foreign to my ears, my tngue tying in knots as I test it out. Jimin was going to wake up? He isn't.... "He didn't die?" I ask, my voice coming out a whisper.

Her face falls, "Did you think this whole time-" she snaps her mouth shut. "I'm so sorry. That must've been terrible." She moves around the crib, motioning towards the door. "I'm sure you're dying to see him, so I'll take you."

I take one last glance at Taehyung, his eyes still shut as he sleeps away, oblivious to the tumbling of my world, and follow after her. My mind is on Jimin as we walk. Is he okay? I heard his heart stop, so how could he be alive? Did he know Taehyung was okay?

I almost slam into the nurse as she stops abruptly. I lean to ask her what's wrong, why we've stopped, when I see a smile on her face. I follow her eyes, coming face to face with the brown ones I would know anywhere.

"Jimin," I breathe, tears flooding my eyes. I stumble pass the nurse, dropping into the chair next to his bed. 

"Yoongs," he croaks, his voice raspy and broken. 

I look him over, taking in his state. His skin is pale, dark bags taking root under his eyes. A cast encases his left arm, the white covering almost the entire limb. I could see a lump under the blanket where he left leg is, presumably another cast.

He was hurt.

But he was here - alive.

"Taehyung?" He asks, his eyes searching my face.

"He's fine," I tell him. The tears break loose, falling down my cheeks as I grasp his right hand. "He's perfect, Jimin. So beautiful. You-" I swallow. "You saved our son's life."

"He's okay?" I nod. Jimin smiles, his eyes drifting close as he mumbles sleepily, "What a wonderful thing." 

I stroked his hand as he fell asleep, completely agreeing with him. Our son was safe. Jimin was alive.

It really was wonderful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE
> 
> HOW WE FEELING YALL? 
> 
> (btw I have started writing my other fic again! If you're a fan of Sope feel free to take a look at my story Guarded!)


	22. Now

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/142526111@N03/32120409708/in/datetaken/)  


"Daddy?" 

I break from my memories to see Taehyung's wide eyes, his nose pressed to my own. 

"What?"

"Where'd your head go?" He asks, sitting back down in his original spot. "I've been calling you forever."

"Sorry, Tae," I apolpgize, patting his head. "I was just think about something."

"About Jimin?"

"Yeah."

He tilts his head back, blinking up at me. "What was it?"

"The day you were born," I tell him.

"Me?" I nod. He beams, sitting back up. "I bet it was an awesome day. You guys probably had ice cream 'cause you were so excited."

"Not quite," I mumble.

"It was a rough day," Hoseok speaks up. "Jimin had been hurt and for a while there we weren't sure how everything was going to turn out."

"Hurt?" Jungkook asks. "What happened?"

"Well," Jin takes over, patting his son's leg. "He protected Taehyung from being hurt and he ended up getting really badly injured in the process."

"But he was okay?" 

"He was in the hospital for a while," Jin says. "But he got better."

"It must've hurt so bad," Taehyung cries, his eyes glossing over.

I dig through the box, pulling out a picture and holding it in front of him. "He was more happy than anything." And it's true. The moment Jimin first got to meet Taehyung is captured on the photo in my hands.

Taehyung is laying in his bassinet, his body swaddled in a small blue blanket. Jimin is laying beside him, turning on his side as far as he was allowed with his broken ribs, a giant smile on his face as his good hand rests on Taehyung's stomach.

It had taken almost 20 minutes for him to stop crying when they brought our son in, the happiness and relief pouring out of him in waves.

He wasn't even concerned about his broken bones or the fact that he could've very well died that day. 

He had risked his life for the baby he was now looking at so fondly.

Jimin was a saint. And I never deserved him.

"Do you remember when you first took Taehyung home?" Namjoon asks me.

Embarrassment creeps up my spine, my cheeks warming. "Don't-"

"You mean when he kept calling us every five minutes freaking out?" Jin laughs. "'How do I know if I'm feeding him enough? Should a baby sleep this much?'" He mocks my voice.

"Stop-"

"To be fair," Namjoon pops in, "Jimin was still in the hospital and caring for a newborn by yourself is difficult. But even so-" he chuckles, "-you even had Hoseok stay with you to help."

"Hey now," Hoseol chimes in. "I quite enjoyed my days as Taehyung's nanny. This is why I'm his favorite uncle."

I lean back on my hands, staring off into space as my friends once again dissolve into the argument of who was whose favorite. It was a common occurrence when we all got together and I'd be lying if I said the familiarity of it wasn't soothing.

Somedays it felt like I had lost everything.

But moments like these remind me that I haven't.

Taehyung sits silently in my lap, his eyes far away. I feel bad for him. Growing up with only one parent may have seemed normal when he was younger, but his curiosity was piqued now. 

And I'm not sure if he's going to regret it or not once we reaxh the end of the stort.

Maybe he'll resent me. Or maybe even Jimin.

But it's his right to decide how to deal with it.

"Daddy?" Taehyung calls me, the room falling silent when he speaks.

"Hm?"

"What happens? To Jimin?" He plays with the photo in his hands, pulling at the corners. "Where did he go?"

"We're getting close to the end," I tell him. "All you questions are going to be answered soon."

Whether I was ready for it or not.


	23. Then

_December 2nd_   
_5 Years Ago_

“You’re doing so well, Taehyungie,” Jimin coos, holding his hands up in front of him. Taehyung wobbles on his feet, his mouth pursed as he concentrates, his little eyes on his dad. Jimin sits against the couch, legs crossed. “Come here, my boy.”

I hold the camera up, ready to catch the moment he takes that first step towards Jimin. Taehyung lifts his foot, shifting it in front of him-

And promptly falls right on his face. 

Jimin is at his side in an instant, lifting the boy into his arms and rocking him. Taehyung’s lips tremble for a second, but he doesn’t cry. “It’s okay, Taehyungie,” Jimin soothes him, pressing a kiss to his head. 

I put the camera down, going to wrap my arms around the two of them. Jimin rests his head on my shoulder, Taehyung wrapping his arms around my neck and clinging to me. I wrap one arm around my mate and the other around my son, holding them close to me. Pressing a quick kiss to Taehyung’s forehead, I give him a soft squeeze. “You walk when you’re ready, Tae. There’s no rush.”

“Kookie,” he mumbles, burying his face in my neck. 

Jimin pulls back from our embrace, rubbing Taehyung’s back. “Jungkook is walking, yes. But he’s older than you, baby. You don’t have to walk just because he does.” Jimin leans in close, lowering his voice. “Wanna hear a secret?” Taehyung peeks at him, nodding his head. Jimin cups his hands around his lips, talking in a whisper. “When Jungkook started walking, he fell a lot of times. He even falls sometimes now.”

Taehyung giggles and Jimin presses a kiss to his cheek. I set him down, letting him sink to his butt on the carpet and soon he’s engrossed in his toys. “Great job,” I whisper to Jimin. He flashes me a smile, my heart stuttering. People always warned me that children could stress your marriage out, that some just weren’t the same afterwards.

But not ours.

If anything, the arrival our Taehyung made us even closer. I loved watching how Jimin effortlessly settled into parenthood, knowing just how to soothe Taehyung, the way he watched him with the biggest smile on his face.

Maybe it was because we almost lost everything on that day a year ago, but either way we weren’t taking our family for granted. 

“Thanks,” Jimin chuckles. He yawns, rubbing a hand down his face. 

“Tired?”

“I just feel worn out,” he admits. “It’s probably just all the planning we’re doing for the party.”

Taehyung’s birthday was at the end of this month and Jimin has been going crazy the past few weeks trying to get everything in order - coming up with a theme, sending out invitations, trying to get the entertainment in order. 

Our son was turning one and was going to have a better party than I did most of my life. 

Except for that time Jimin threw me a party. Nothing could beat that.

I move behind him, rubbing his shoulders. He sink into my hands, a sigh leaving his lips. “Go take a nap, my love. Tae and I can have a good time together, can’t we buddy?” Taehyung grunts, eliciting a small giggle form the man in my arms. 

“It’s the middle of the day,” Jimin says. “I can’t just go take a nap or it’ll throw off my whole sleep schedule.”

These days he didn’t have much of a sleep schedule, but I’m not going to point that out.

“Then go relax,” I suggest. “You haven’t gotten to dance in a while and I know you’ve been missing it.”

“I haven’t had the time,” he sighs. “After the accident I had to recover and then raising Taehyung is a full time job, one that I love, so I haven’t been able to get over there.”

Wrapping my arms around his waist, I start to sway us from side to side. “Well, I’m giving you a pass on your job today. I can take over. Go dance, love.”

“What if he needs me?”

I give him a squeeze. “Are you doubting my mad dad skills?”

“No but-”

“I’ll call you if he needs you or if I can’t handle it,” I promise.

“Okay,” he says quietly, entirely to my surprise. 

Jimin had trouble leaving Taehyung for any long periods of time. Separation anxiety, Namjoon had called it. It was common in first time parents. And considering how Taehyung came into the world, I understood why Jimin would be protective and not want to leave him. But I also understood that he needed some time to himself, even if he didn’t think so himself.

“TaeTae,” I call. He looks up, his eyes settling on us. “Dada is going to go out for a little bit.”

Taehyung pouts, his little lip sticking out. He scoots to Jimin, clinging to his leg. “No,” he says sternly. It appeared the separation was disliked on both ends.

“Taehyungie,” Jimin says softly, pulling Tae off. He crouches down, ruffling the boy’s pink locks. “I’ll be back in a little bit, but while I’m gone I’m going to need you to keep an eye on your daddy. Can you do that for me?” Taehyung nods excitedly. Jimin smiles, kissing his forehead. “That’s my boy. Make sure he’s good, okay?” More nodding. 

“Dada?” 

“Hm?”

“Lub you,” Taehyung says, pressing a kiss to Jimin’s cheek.

Jimin grins, wrapping the boy in his arms. “I love you too, Taehyungie. So, so, sooooooooo much!” He smothers his face in kisses, Taehyung erupting into a mess of giggles. Jimin pulls back and stands up. I move to Taehyung’s side - his hand clinging to my pant leg as Jimin puts on his coat. 

Jimin hugs me, our lips meeting for a second. “Have fun,” I say. 

“Probably not as much as you will,” he says back. “I love you.”

“Not as much as I love you.”

He chuckles and kisses me again. Then he’s gone, leaving the two of us standing in the living room. 

“Okay, TaeTae. When Dada’s away, it’s time to play!”

“Yay!” He cheers, dropping down to the floor. He crawls to his toys, picking up a dog plushie. It’s a small brown dog, the fur sticking out every which way. It was also Taehyung’s absolute favorite toy ever since the day Jimin brought it home. He holds it up to me, his eyes on me. 

I drop down in front of him, taking it from his hands. “You want me to be Yeontan?” He nods slowly. I make the dog walk across the space in front of me, making small barking noises. If my son wanted me to be a dog, then I’d be the best damn dog the world has ever seen. 

Taehyung laughs but grabs his Ryan plushie, acquired as a gift from Namjoon, and starts moving him around, making the lion play with Yeontan. 

It’s a simple game, but it’s one he enjoys. We play that for almost an hour, getting our toys into all kinds of mischief, until Taehyung’s stomach grumble.

“Hungry?” 

He nods, rubbing his stomach. I stand, holding my hands out. “Let’s get some dinner then, huh?” Taehyung takes my hands and I sweep him into my arms. I carry him into the kitchen, sitting him in his booster seat at the table. We had tried a high chair for a while but ever since Taehyung was able to comprehend that we ate meals at the table he refused to eat unless he was sitting with Jimin and I at the table.

“What are we hungry for, Tae?” I ask, moving to the fridge. I look around, calling out the options. “Want some veggies? Dada Says we should eat more of those.” A groan sounds from the table and I chuckle. “My thoughts exactly.” I open the freezer. “Jackpot,” I call out. I pull a green bag out, little dinos decorating the plastic. “Dinosaur Nuggets!”

Taehyung cheers, his little hands clapping together. “Nugs! Nugs!”

“That’s right,” I say, pulling a bear-shaped plate from the cabinet. “These are a real delicacy.”

I pop them in the microwave, little hands tapping on the table behind me. A little cheer goes up when the timer goes off, the smell filling the kitchen when I open the door. I set them on the counter, letting them cool for a second. Taehyung makes grabb-hands, his little legs kicking under the table. “Gotta wait, buddy. They’re too hot to eat right away.” He stops reaching, but his eyes never leave the food. 

After a few minutes, when I’m certain they’re cool enough, I place them in front of him, ruffling his hair. I sit across from him, pulling out my phone as Taehyung plays with his nuggets, growling as he makes a T-Rex battle it out with a Triceratops.

My phone rings, Jimin’s name popping up on the screen. Answering, I put it to my ear. “Hi, love. How was the studio?”

“Uh, good,” he says, his voice off. 

“What’s wrong?” I ask, anxious. Last time I got a call like this it ended very badly.

“Nothing, really. It’s not that bad.”

“What isn’t?”

“You shouldn’t worry-”

“I love you, so of course I’ll worry.”

“Just don’t freak out,” he says.

I didn’t like the sound of that. At all.

“The only time people say that is when the other person should, in fact, totally freak out.”

“Good point. But you still shouldn’t freak out.”

“Just tell me, Chim. What’s wrong?”

“I need you to come to the hospital.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not to distract from what may or may not be going on with Jimin but...... 
> 
> I love domestic YoonMin T-T


	24. Chapter 23 -Then

“The hospital?” I screech into the phone. Taehyung's eyes dart to me for a second before he's back to playing with his nuggets.

“Yoongi,” Jimin sighs. “I know, love. I totally get it. I know better than anyone what the accident did to you.” My heart rate slows a bit, soothed by Jimin's soft voice. “I promise this isn't like that.”

“Then why are you there?” I mumble, embarrassed by my freak out.

“I tripped,” he mumbles.

“You tripped?”

“Yes, okay?” He groans. “I tripped and fell into the door. I hurt my wrist. I wouldn't even be calling you but they want to give me something for the pain so I won't be able to drive home.”

“I'm on my way,” I say quickly, irritated by his words. “We'll be there soon.”

“Drive safe. I love you.”

“I love you too,” I reply, then hang up the phone. Sliding it back in my pocket, I stand from the table. “Taehyung, baby.” He stops, blinking at me slowly, his dinos still clutched in his tiny fingers. I crouch down beside him, placing my hand on his shoulder. “Dada has a booboo,” I explain.

“Dada?”

“Mhm.” I pat his shoulder. “So we have to go to the doctor and get him, okay?”

“Hm,” he agrees, nodding quickly. Dropping his nuggets, he dusts off his hands and pulls on the straps of his seat, trying to free himself.

“Okay, okay,” I say. I make quick work of unbuckling him and pulling him into my arms. “Really though, who hurts themselves so badly by tripping that they need a hospital?”

“Dada,” Taehyung says, making me chuckle. I wasn't asking to get an answer, but yet he still gave me one.

“Seems to be that way,” I say, setting him on the couch. I grab his shoes from the rack in the corner. His holds his foot up, wiggling his socked toes as he giggles. I slip the shoes on, a smile pulling at my lips. “You're silly,” I laugh, standing again. 

“TaeTae siwwy?”

“TaeTae is the silliest,” I assure him, grabbing his coat. He spreads his arm out, letting me pull the sleeves on. Compared to Jungkook, who had a tendency to run away when his parents attempted to dress him, Taehyung was a blessing. 

Zipping the coat up, I pat Taehyung on the sides, our own little signal that he was done getting ready and had been a good boy. A smile breaks out across his face, his hands clapping for how good of a boy he was. Laughing, I scoop him up into my arms and take him to the garage.

The spot where Jimin's car usually sits is empty, leaving only my Hyundai Palisade in the open space, it's black paint glinting in the light.

“Vroom, vroom,” Taehyung sounds, his hands moving like he's steering as I strap him into his carseat. He's still playing when I close the door and get into the driver's seat. 

The drive to the hospital is quick, the roads mostly empty, and the car is full of quiet music, Taehyung humming along to the words. If Jimin was here, he'd have his phone out and be recording, adding to the never ending collection of videos he has of Taehyung.

I carry Taehyung inside, telling the receptionist my name and letting her know I'm looking for my husband. 

“He's right in the back, if you'll just follow me,” she says, moving from behind the desk. “He's so cute,” she coos as we walk, pinching Taehyung's cheek. He grumbles, turning his face into my neck.

“I'm sorry,” I apologize, patting Tae's back. “He gets shy.” Taehyung squeezes me tighter, burrowing deeper into my neck.

Her mouth drops open. “That's so un-Alpha like,” she sneers. “Do you think he'll be an-”

“Only time will tell,” I say harshly, cutting her off. It's none of her business if my son is an Omega. It certainly isn't her place to imply that we should be ashamed of his status. Jimin had worked hard to overcome his shame, especially when we started to suspect Taehyung might be an Omega as well.

Some people are just really closed minded and can't see passed what they've been taught. But that isn't our problem.

She doesn't speak the rest of the way, instead opting to silently lead us passed door after door until we finally stop outside the last on in the hallway. “He's just inside here,” is the last thing she says before taking off.

I knock twice, Jimin's muffled voice calling for us to come in. He grins when we open the door. “There's my boys.” He's laying on the bed, still dressed in his dance clothes. His hand is resting on a pillow by his side and as we get closer I can see that there's a swollen bubble at the bottom of his thumb.

“That looks bad, Chim,” I say, taking the seat by the bed. Taehyung turns in my lap, his eyes going to Jimin's hand.

“Dada, you have a booboo,” he points out, voice thick with tears.

“It's okay, Taehyungie,” Jimin soothes. “It doesn't hurt.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Taehyung nods, seemingly appeased.

But just because he wasn't freaking out doesn't mean I wouldn't.

“I thought you said you tripped?” I ask, eyeing his hand. It looked too serious to just be caused by tripping.

“I did,” he answers, shrugging.

“And it's that bad?”

“The doctor said I must've hit it hard.” A goofy smile spreads across his face. “I broke it the whole way through,” he tells me, giggling.

“Did they give you pain medicine?”

“Mhmmmm.”

Taehyung turns his head, whispering in my ear, “Dada is siwwy. Not Tae.”

I nod and pat his leg, letting him know I agreed. Jimin was indeed acting silly, no doubt the medication was taking hold of him. There's a knock at the door before it opens, a nurse slipping in, pale bandages held in her hand.

“Time to get you splinted,” she says, but Jimin just smiles. She moves to his side and I watch as she carefully lifts his hand and wraps some cotton around it. “He'll have to see an orthopedic specialist tomorrow,” she tells me, eyes still on her work. “He broke it the whole way through so it'll take a little while to heal. It was clean and still in place though, so surgery is unlikely.” She grabs the bandage, wrapping it securely around his wrist. “He should take the pain medicine for the first 2 weeks but then after that the pain should decrease substantially.” She clips the ubandage, stepping back. “But that's it.” She turns back to Jimin. “No more falling, okay?”

“Okey dokey,” he says, sitting up. She laughs, bidding us farewell and telling Jimin once again to be careful before slipping back out the door. Jimin stands, slightly wobbly on his feet, amd reaches for his jacket, which he struggles to get over his newly wrapped arm.

Sighing, a set Taehyung on the chair and move to help him, gently sliding the fabric over the bandages. “Yoongi,” Jimin says, his voice a whisper. 

“Hm?”

“Look.”

I follow his eyes, watching as Taehyung lets go of the chair, wobbling slightly before-

He takes his first steps, his hands held out beside him, eyes on us the whole time. 

“Wow,” Jimin breathes, a smile lighting up his face. He reaches his good hand out. “Come here, baby. You can do it!” 

Taehyung takes two steps before falling down. When he sits back up he's cradling his arm, tears running down his cheeks. “Tae has booboo,” he cries.

Jimin crouches down beside him and lifts Taehyung's arm to his lips, kissing the spot he hurt. “All better?” The boy nods his head and Jimin smiles. “Remember, Tae. Booboos may hurt at first, but they will always heal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided in the beginning that Jimin would break his wrist and then lo and behold I too broke my wrist 😂
> 
> Hope you guys are enjoying!!!
> 
> Less than 10 chapters til we reach the end!


	25. 24 - Then

_December 30th  
5 years ago_

It's barely eight in the morning when I walk into the kitchen, but Jimin is already seated at the table. Decorations litter the surface - streamers, bows, and even an Anpanman piñata. I don't understand why we even need a piñata. Taehyung could barely walk without falling down, let alone swing a bat into a bunch of cardboard.

But Jimin was pulling out all the stops for our son's party, and apparently that meant getting a piñata.

“Up already?” I grumble, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

Jimin jumps at my voice, his cast hitting the table. He places the blue plaster to his chest, exhaling deeply. “You scared the crap out of me.”

Shuffling my way to his chair, I press a kiss to the top of his head. “Didn't mean to.” I move to the cupboards, gathering the necessities for coffee. “What are you doing up, anyway? We don't really need to get ready for a few more hours.”

“Couldn't sleep,” he mumbles.

Grabbing my mug, I let it warm my hands as I turn back to him. “Is it your arm again?”

He grabs his cast, his lips turning up in a grimace. “They said the pain would diminish by now, but it hasn't.” He sighs, letting his head drop. “If anything it's gotten worse. My whole arm aches.”

I sit down across from him, reaching across the clutter to pat his good arm. “Make sure you mention it at your appointment today,” I tell him. He nods, chewing on his lip. I watch him for a second before chuckling. “Go ahead and just say whatever you want to say, Chim.”

“A year already.” He rubs his hands down his face. “He's getting so big. And he can already walk pretty well-” he swallows and meets my eyes, his own glossed over. “I'm so glad.”

I rub his arm, trying to comfort him the best I could. I know how much Jimin worried that he would be a bad father, afraid that the lack of a good role model left him lacking. 

But he was amazing with Taehyung. Always patient and more attentive to his needs than anything else.

“You are an amazing father, Chim. Taehyung looks up to you so much.”

“Oh I don't know about that,” he laughs. “I don't think you realize just how much he watches you.”

“Me?”

“Mhm.” Jimin leans forward, resting his cheek on the palm of his hand. “Last week I saw him playing with Kook and he was pretending to take pictures. All because 'daddy does it'.”

I blush, hiding behind my coffee mug. “W-well-”

The baby monitor on the table lights up, Taehyung's quiet cries coming through it. I hold my hand out when Jimin moves, “I'll get him, love.”

“You're the best,” he says, blowing me a kiss. I catch it, placing it to my lips before chuckling and leaving the room.

Taehyung is waiting for me in his crib, soft sobs shaking his shoulders as tears run down his face. “What's wrong, Tae?” I lift him easily, cradling him in my arms as he keeps crying. “Did you have a bad dream?” He nods against my shoulder, still crying. 

I rub his back, tracing circles along his pajamas in an attempt to soothe him. But when we enter the kitchen, he's still crying. 

Jimin's up and out of his chair in under a second, rushing to my side. “What's wrong?” He hovers, his face contorted with worry. Taehyung turns at his voice, reaching out for him. 

“I don't know,” I say as Jimin takes him from me. “He said he had a bad dream.” 

Jimin rocks back and forth, pressing a kiss to the top of Taehyung's head. “Wanna talk about it?” The boy stays quiet, but his crying has calmed since Jimin started holding him. “Was it really scary?” Tae nods against Jimin's chest. “Were there monsters?” His head shakes no. “What could be scarier than monsters?”

Taehyung just latches on tighter, his cries starting up again.

“Aw, babe,” Jimin coos. “What's wrong?”

“Don't go,” Taehyung cries, burrowing his face into Jimin's chest.

“And miss all this time with you?” Jimin gasps. “No way. I'm not going anywhere. After all, your Daddy would never survive without me.” He throws me a wink.

I don't argue because it's absolutely true.

Taehyung holds up his pinky and Jimin grabs it with his own, sealing the promise. It must satisfy our son because he stops crying. “Alrighty then.” Jimin sets Tae down in his seat, moving the decorations off the table. “How do we feel about breakfast?”

And just like that, Taehyung's bad dream is forgotten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter ~
> 
> But no less important
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!!!!


	26. 25-Then

_December 30th  
5 years ago_

“The party has arrived,” Hoseok yells, his voice echoing down the hallway. I roll my eyes, stepping out of the living room to see him shaking the snow off his coat. 

“Do you have to cause a scene?”

He slips off his boots, a smile lighting up his face. “You know it,” he says, shooting me a wink.

I groan, rubbing my hands down my face. “You’re too much.”

“Aw, but that’s why you love me.”

“Mhm,” I hum. “Sure I do.”

He picks a box up off the floor, cradling the blue package in his arms as he makes his way to my side. “Has the party started already?”

I shake my head. “Namjoon and Jin only got here a few minutes ago. They’re in the living room with Jungkook and Taehyung.”

“Where’s your other half?” He asks, peering around me. “I know Jimin wouldn’t miss this party. We all know he’s been going a little crazy about it all month.”

“You have no idea,” I mumble, leading him to the kitchen. He sets his present on the table with the rest of them, adding to the substantial pile. “He’s at an appointment, but he should be back soon.”

The living room is lively as ever, the two boys chasing each other around the furniture, Taehyung a lot less steady on his legs than Jungkook. He stumbles every few steps, my heart clenching, but he always rights himself, carrying on the chase just as determined as before. 

“For his wrist?” Hoseok asks, sitting in the chair across from Namjoon. He waves hi to the couple before turning back to me. “How is it anyway?”

I lean against the wall, crossing my arms in front of me. I felt antsy, unable to sit still for longer than a few moment. I’d probably feel better when Jimin got back. He always seemed to ground me. “As good as can be expected,” I sigh. “They’re going to take some more scans and see about getting the cast removed soon.”

Jungkook turns suddenly, Taehyung crashing into his chest. The older reaches out, his arms wrapping around Taehyung before he can fall. I watch carefully, looking for any sign to step in, but soon they’re off again, the momentary pause forgotten. 

“He must be going crazy,” Namjoon comments. “Not being able to pick up Taehyung or really do anything.”

“I couldn’t even imagine trying to raise a child one-handed,” Jin speaks up, shuddering in his spot next to Namjoon.

“He’s not doing it all by himself, you guys. Yoongi’s been helping him,” Hoseok defends me. “He cut back on his studio time, and when he does go, he usually takes Taehyung with him.”

They turn to me, the mouths open. “Wow,” Jin breathes. “What character development”

“Jimin is a miracle worker,” Namjoon observes, nodding to himself. 

“Wow, thanks guys,” I scoff, turning back to the boys. They’re sitting on Taehyung’s play mat, little cars clutched in their fists as they make them drive down make-believe roads. “I think he’s stressing himself out too much.”

“Jimin? Stressing himself out? No way,” Hoseok gasps.

“Never would’ve thought,” Jin sneaks in.

“What a surprise,” Namjoon joins in on the joke.

I throw each of the a glare. I let my head fall back against the wall, sighing deeply. “I’m actually worried,” I confide. “He always seems so tired these days. And he’s lost a little bit of weight.” I chew on my lip, finally voicing my concerns. “He barely makes time to eat and always tells me he’s not hungry. I just don’t know what to do.” 

“You know how Jimin is,” Hoseok says quietly, his eyes darting to the kids - too absorbed in their games to listen to us. “He strives for perfection, Yoongi. He doesn’t like feeling like he let anyone down. Let alone you and Taehyung.”

“Hoseok’s right,” Jin agrees. “He probably just feels a little down right now.”

“Just try to be there for him,” Namjoon offers. “Let him know how much you appreciate his efforts. Make him feel needed.”

I nod, but a weight settles in my stomach. I should feel comforted by their words, but I don’t. I cross my arms tighter, ignoring the niggling at the back of my brain.   
My friends were right. I just had to do a better job of making sure Jimin know that he wasn’t letting us down. 

Everything was going to be okay. This wasn’t the time to let my worry get the best of me.

“Are your parents coming?” Namjoon asks. 

“They wanted to,” I say, grateful for the change in subject. “But the snow is too bad down their way for them to travel here. We’ll video chat with them tonight after everyone leaves.”

“And Jimin’s dad?” Hoseok asks hesitantly.

“Jimin’s been trying to reach out to him, which if you ask me I think is ridiculous,” I say truthfully. “Why should we care if he’s in Taehyung’s life? Especially considering the way he treated Jimin because he’s a male Omega.”

“I agree,” Namjoon says. “If Jin’s parents had done that, I wouldn’t let them anywhere near my family. Especially if my son was also an Omega.”

“Maybe time has helped him see clearly though,” Jin offers.

“No,” I shake my head. “He blames Jimin for the loss of his mate, Jimin’s mother, even though it wasn’t his fault. Then he made him feel ashamed of who he was, insulting him for years.” It had taken me years to finally get Jimin to open up to me about his father and just how terrible he was to Jimin. And the thought of bringing him, that cruel man, into our lives again, goes against all of my protective instincts. “We haven’t been able to reach him, and honestly, I hope we never do.”

“But you’re still letting Jimin try?”

“I can’t stop him, Hoseok,” I sigh. “We’re mates. Partners. I know that some people think that Alpha’s should rule over their Omegas. But that’s not how this is.” I look away, frowning. “If Jimin wants to talk to his father, then who am I to stop him? All I can do is support him and hold him together when the outcome isn’t what he wants.”

A cry sounds out, all my friends shooting to their feet at the sound. I rush to the play mat, seeing Jungkook standing over a crying Taehyung, who’s holding his little fist to his chest. “Tae, are you okay?” I try to move closer, but Jungkook glowers at me, the expression looking odd on his young face. 

“Kookie,” Jin calls quietly. “You need to move so Tae’s daddy can take a look at him, okay?”

Jungkook shakes his head, crouching down and bundling Taehyung in his arms. “Tae safe.”

I hold my hands out in front of me, appearing unthreatening. Jungkook may be young, but his Alpha instincts were strong even at this age, pushing him to defend the Omega by his side from any danger. And in his young mind, he couldn’t completely distinguish what was safe and not yet. I understand his feelings, but I still need him to stand aside. “Jungkook, I just need to make sure he’s okay.” I step forward, stopping when his eyes dart to my foot. “You want Taehyung safe, right?” He eyes me for a second, then nods. “So do I. Can I please look at him? You can stay by his side the whole time,” I promise.

He watches me for a second before moving to Taehyung’s side, his arm still around the small boy’s shoulders. They were only three months apart, but Jungkook seemed to tower over Taehyung in this moment. “Finger pinch,” Jungkook says, his eyes on me. I nod, grabbing my still-crying son’s hand. Taehyung turns, burying his face in Jungkook’s shoulder as I unclench his fist. 

The tip of his index finger is bruised, a small cut splitting the skin, a thin trail of blood sneaking down his finger. It doesn’t look serious, but to Taehyung and Jungkook, this was probably a serious injury. “Okay, it’s not bad,” I say, trying to keep Jungkook calm. If I made him feel like I wasn’t taking Taehyung’s pain seriously he could grow even more agitated. “I’m going to take care of it, okay?” Kook nods, his body growing a little less tense. “Hoseok, can you grab me a few wipes and a bandage from the bag on the table, please?”

He nods, leaving the room. When he reappears by my side he holds the items out to me. Taking a wipe from him, I rub it across the cut, Taehyung wincing slightly. When it’s all clean, I carefully wrap the band-aid around the tip of his finger, the little Anpanman characters smiling up at me from the shiny coating. 

Moving back, I stand, the rest of the adults following my lead. “All better,” I pronounce. Taking the last wipe from Hoseok, I hand it to Jungkook, who eyes it skeptically. “For his tears,” I explain.

He nods, taking it from me. We all go back to our previous seats, our attention on the boys as Jungkook lightly wipes at Taehyung’s face, his lips moving with quiet reassurances. 

“Well,” Hoseok mumbles. “That was.. Interesting.”

I nod, my eyes still on the boys. 

“It’s natural for an Alpha to be protective of the Omega he chooses as his,” Namjoon explains.

“But they’re just kids,” Hoseok sighs. “They haven’t even fully presented yet.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I shrug. “If you’re born an Alpha, then you still have those instincts, despite whether you’ve presented yet or not. If he senses that if his Omega is in danger, it can trigger his protective instincts even at this young of an age. Once a mating bond is established the instincts will quiet down to a manageable level, but they will always be there.”

“They chose each other, huh?” Jin beams, bouncing excitedly. “It’s so rare for them to find their perfect matches this young. Usually it doesn’t happen until they’re much older. Even Namjoon and I were considered young and we were adults. Even Jimin and Yoongi were adults.”

“Well this explains why they always clung to each other so much,” Namjoon says. “And why they always want to see each other. Or why Jungkook tried to beat a kid up at daycare when he shoved Taehyung.”

“Jimin will be so happy,” Jin squeals. “We always talked about the possibility that our kids could be together back when he first got pregnant.”

“Well speak of the devil,” Hoseok chuckles when Jimin’s head peeks around the corner, little snowflakes dusting his hair. 

“Dada!” Taehyung cries, running over to him and hugging his leg. 

Following my son’s lead, I go to Jimin’s side, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Welcome home,” I whisper against his skin. He rests his head against me, his body relaxing. “How was the appointment?”

He tenses again, but eases after a second. “It was fine.” He pulls back from me, a tight smile on his face as he finally addresses our guests. “Who’s ready for this party to finally get started?”

Taehyung cheers, launching back into the room. Jimin follows him, laughing - but it doesn’t sound right. It’s too forced, the musical quality I always loved about Jimin’s voice missing. 

I watch his back as he greets Hoseok, his arms wrapping around my friend. 

He’s right here, right in front of me. 

But why does he feel so far away?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .......welp...... im really going through it you guys
> 
> as always, im hoping you guys are enjoying the story! i love reading all the messages from you guys!!! youre really all the best <3
> 
> im going to an anime convention (woot! woot!) this week so there will definitely not be any updates this next week - but we are getting into the final stretch of the story!
> 
> Look forward to it, lovelies!


	27. Chapter 26 - Then

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am back from vacation and ready to subject us all to more Terrible Things!
> 
> Hope you guys Enjoy!

_February 1st  
4 Years Ago_

 

Taehyung’s soft breaths fill the room, his small body curled up on the couch in my studio. Although it resembled more of a playroom now - toys strewn across the floor and piled high in a toy box pressed against the wall. 

Slowly but surely, as Taehyung spent more and more time with me in here, he was taking over the room.

I don’t really mind it, though. And while I’d never admit it aloud, I liked seeing him getting more comfortable in here - with me - so I can’t complain. 

Not that I would anyway, what with Taehyung’s confusion these days. 

Every day he wonders more where Jimin is, why he never spends any time with him. 

I want to reassure him, to tell him that Jimin loves him more than anything. He’s just busy, I want to say.

But the words always die on my tongue, drying up before they can get pass my lips. 

Because the confusion wasn’t only Taehyung’s - it was mine too.

In reality I have no idea what was going on with Jimin anymore than my son does. 

Ever since Taehyung’s party Jimin’s been distant. He’s always going out to appointments, but won’t tell me what they’re for or why I can’t go with him. 

And even when he is home, he might as well be anywhere else. He spends most of his time in bed and although he sleeps almost constantly, the bags below his eyes never get any lighter. He makes excuses as to why he can’t eat dinner with Taehyung and I - his favorite one being that he ate before. 

As if I wouldn’t be able to tell that that was a lie. I don’t know if he thinks I don’t notice the weight he’s lost in the past month, but I know it can’t be healthy to skip that many meals. On the rare occasions that I can force him to the table, I watch as he moves his food around his plate, not really touching it except for a few tiny bites just to please me. 

Sometimes I’ll come down from putting Taehyung to bed and I’ll find him in the living room, curled up on the couch and staring at the wall, this look of pure hopelessness etched into his features. 

Those are the worst times - the times when he lets his mask slip and I can see the things he’s hiding from me. I’ve asked him about it multiple times over the weeks and every time he brushes me off, telling me it’s no big deal or that he’s just tired. 

I stare at my computer monitor, right into the eyes of a smiling Jimin. He beams at me from inside my editing program and I can’t help but wonder where that smile went. Just when did it start to slip away from me? How long has it been since Jimin smiled at me like that?

When did this Jimin, all smiles and loving life, turn into the one that looked like he couldn’t bear the weight of the world anymore? 

And why didn’t I notice it sooner?

A quiet knock sounds on the door, Jimin’s head poking inside. He gives me a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Where’s Tae?” he asks quietly. I spin in my chair, pointing towards where our child sleeps on the couch, the stuffed sun he got from Hoseok cradled in his arms. A genuine smile spreads across Jimin’s face at the sight and relief washes through me at the show of emotion.

It had been so long since I saw him so genuine that I almost want to cry at the sight of it.

“What’s up?” I ask, standing. I bounce from foot to foot, feeling ridiculous for the nervousness coursing through my veins. Jimin and I were married, for crying out loud. What was there for me to be nervous about?

But I know that I fear he’s about to tell me what I’ve always known. That he’s too good for me. That I don’t show my emotions enough for someone like him, someone so bright and cheerful. 

That there was no way for his brightness to strive within my darkness.

“Do you think we could have some us time?” He chews on his bottom lip, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. I recognize these little tics - they’re what he always does when he’s nervous. “Taehyung’s asleep after all and I feel like it’s been forever since we spent some time together.”

“Of course.” I press a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Let me just put him to bed and then I’m all yours, okay?”

“I’ll be in the living room - with movies and hot chocolate waiting for you,” he tells me as I lift Taehyung gently into my arms, trying to not wake him. We part ways when I reach the stairs, me heading up while Jimin goes to the living room. 

I tuck Taehyung into his crib, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Sweet dreams, Tae. We love you so so much,” I tell him. A small smile spreads across his face, but his eyes don’t open and his breathing is still even. I switch on his nightlight and close the door, leaving it open a crack. 

Jimin, true to his word, is waiting for me on the couch - two steaming mugs on the stand next to him and a movie already on the TV. He lifts the blanket he’s wrapped in as I approach. “Ready to get cozy and probably fall asleep in a position so uncomfortable we’ll be sore for days?”

Laughing, I slide in, tucking the blanket around us and pressing a kiss to Jimin’s temple. “It’s worth it.”

He hits play and rests his head on my shoulder, getting comfortable as his favorite movie - The Notebook - begins to play.

Over the course of the next two hours I watch Jimin’s face more than I do the actual movie. One second he’s crying, the next he’s laughing. All at a movie he’s no doubt seen a million times. 

He’s too precious.

When the ending credits start to roll, I shimmy out from underneath Jimin to put in the next movie - Tazza, one of my own personal favorites. 

I freeze with the disc halfway to the DVD player when Jimin whispers from his spot on the couch, his voice almost nonexistent.

“Can I tell you a terrible thing?”

I turn my head towards him slowly, my heart bottoming out. He looks so small, curled up in our blankets, and I almost tell him no. If I don’t hear it, then maybe whatever terrible thing he’s talking about will just go away. I want to shove my head in the sand and ignore whatever he wants to tell me. 

But I can’t, so of course I say-

“Of course, you can.”

“It seems that I’m sick,” he says slowly, wrapping up tighter in the blanket. 

“Sick?” The words sounds foreign on my tongue. “Like a cold?”

He watches me, pity and tears in his eyes. He shakes his head, sniffling. “No, Yoongi. Not like a cold.”

“Th-Then what?” I ask, my voice rising. “Is it a mental thing? Is that why you’ve been pulling away? You know I’ve had experiences wit-”

“Yoongi,” he says sharply. I shut my mouth tight, grinding my teeth so hard I’m pretty sure our neighbors can hear it. “I’m sick,” he repeats, his voice breaking slightly. “And I’ve only got a few weeks.”

The disc drops from my hand and I’m sure it clatters against the floor. But I can’t hear it. I can’t hear anything except those words over and over again: weeks, sick, weeks, sick. 

They play in my head like a twisted lullaby, singing my soul to sleep with every verse. 

“No,” I whisper, finally finding my voice. “You can’t be.” I swallow, my hands shaking as I wring them in front of me. “It has to be a mistake. It has to be-”

“Smell me, Yoongi.” 

I snap my head up at his strange demand. “What?”

“Smell me.” He moves the blanket, letting it drop to the floor. I get my first sight of his legs in weeks and my breath catches in my lungs. 

Bruises litter his once-tan skin, the purple splotches glaring at me from their spots. 

“What happened?” I move to take a step closer, but he holds out a hand and I stop. “Your legs, Chim. Why are there so many bruises?”

“I’ll explain after you do what I ask.”

And so I do. I suck in a deep breath through my nose.

Jimin’s scent swarms me, but something’s not right. Jimin doesn’t smell like this. He smells sweet, like strawberries. Not-

“Rotten,” the word breaks from my lips. My legs give out and I fall to my knees in the middle of the living room, tears pricking at my eyes. “Why do you smell like that?” If I could scream the words, I would. But my body is betraying me, shutting down to protect itself.

A bitter laugh leaves Jimin’s lips, but soon it wars into a broken sob. I want to go to him, to take him in my arms and stop him from saying his next words, but yet his lips still form the words. “I’m dying, Yoongi.”

My heart stops, my blood freezing in my veins. Dying? How could Jimin - my bright, happy Jimin - be dying? He’s right in front of me, his heart still beating, but suddenly the space between us seems insurmountable. How could the love of my life be dying? This wasn’t the type of thing that happened to us. It happened to strangers, to people that we didn’t know.

But yet it was happening to Jimin, the person I knew more than myself. 

But weeks? Was all he had really weeks? How did we go from the rest of our lives together to having only weeks-

Anger rushes me as it all clicks in place. “How long?”

“How long what?”

“How long have you known you were going to die?” I yell, my anger giving me the strength to stand. “How long have you known that our days together were numbered and you let me live in ignorance?”

“The doctor told me about his suspicions when I went to my appointment on the day of the party. But we didn’t get any definite answers until a few days ago, when my tests came back.”

He’s known since Taehyung’s party?

“And you didn’t think that I would want to know, even if it was just suspicions?”

“I didn’t want you to worry-”

“News flash, Jimin! I love you! I’m always going to worry.” The tears that had been wavering on my lashes finally break free, my words coming out as half-sobs. “Did you think that I wouldn’t be worried this passed month anyway? Watching as you receded more and more into yourself. As you lost more weight.” I sob, and the sound doesn’t convey just how truly broken I feel. “I was terrified, every day. Every day.”

“Yoongi-”

“I thought you were going to leave me,” I laugh. “And now I almost wish that was the case. At least then you’d be somewhere on this Earth and not-” my voice, and anger, fades out as I struggle to say the word. In the end I give up, letting myself drop on the floor next to Jimin. I lay my head in his lap, my tears dropping onto his pajama shorts. “I need to know, Chim. All of it.”

“I have Ewing’s Sarcoma,” he starts, his hand running through my hair absently. “It’s one of the more aggressive bone cancers. If you find it early on, it’s actually rather easy to treat. But if you find it later, the chances of survival are very very low. We’re talking a percentage in the single digits.” He’s quiet for a second, his hand trembling in my hair. “Stage Four, they told me. The worst case scenario. They suspect that I’ve been sick for a while. But with the accident last year and having a baby, I’ve probably brushed off almost all the symptoms as just exhaustion or just straight up ignored them because I didn’t have time to worry about it.”

“If I had just-”

“Stop,” he shushes me. “We’re not going to play the blame game, Yoongi. If I couldn’t tell that something was wrong with my own body, how were you supposed to know? You were just as exhausted as I was.”

“What are we going to do?”

He sucks in a breath, his voice wavering. “They gave me the choice of whether or not to treat it with chemo. They said the chances of it helping are pretty low and it will make me feel terrible, but it would be an attempt to save me. Or I can choose to not do that and just live my best life for however long I have left.”

“There’s a chance you can live, right?”

“A very small-”

“But it’s still a chance?” I sit up, feeling my resolve set in. Jimin nods and I cradle his face in my hands, gently as to not hurt him. Watching him now, I can see how carrying this for so long by himself has hurt him, his shoulders curved under the weight of his own mortality. “We’re going to fight, Chim. Every day, even the worst ones, we’re going to fight for your life. Okay?”

His eyes tear up, his bottom lip trembling. “But what if-”

Climbing on the couch, I pull him into my arms. “No but’s,” I tell him. “You’re good, Jimin. We’re good. And terrible things don’t happen to things that are good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...how we feeling?
> 
> To be completely honest, this scene was really hard for me to write and I think I cried at least three times while doing so.   
> Each of my stories have a playlist that helps me with the mood for the story itself. And can you guess what this one is filled with?  
> Yep. You guessed it. It's filled with sad ass songs.  
> So if you guys ever want to really torture yourself, I can give you the playlist and you can get deep in your feels while reading. 
> 
> I really, really hope you guys are enjoying the story (heart breaking moments aside!) and I hope to hear your guys' thoughts!
> 
> xoxo


	28. 27 - Then

_March 26th  
4 Years Ago_

A rare ray of sunlight filters in through the window, brightening the small room I’ve spent most of my time in these last few weeks.

After Jimin told me about his diagnosis, things moved fast. Oncologists were met, tests were run, chemo was started. We were going full speed ahead, all of our eyes on the larger goal - keeping Jimin from being one of the very-sad statistics that the doctors kept reminding us of. 

We were hopeful. Even when the chemo left Jimin too sick too move. Or on that first morning that Jimin found strands of his pink hair littering his pillow. Even when I had to pull him into my arms after the discovery, his fragile shoulders shuddering with sobs so strong I was sure they were going to break him right in half.

Those weeks burned by so quickly, like a fire that our hope kept fueled and raging strong. 

But all fires come to an end, don’t they? Not all at once, no. But slowly, with each bucket of water that gets thrown on it, the flames get weaker and weaker.

Until eventually they just give out completely. 

Our first douse of water started when they doctors called us in, the grim looks on their faces the first drops. And then they opened their mouths - the words pouring from their lips. The chemo wasn’t working, they had spouted. The cancer was spreading, infecting more and more of Jimin’s body. What started in his bones had spread out it’s disease-ridden fingers, grabbing hold of his lungs and even some parts of his liver.

From then, no matter how strong we tried to be, the water just kept on coming. Bruises that would appear on Jimin’s skin from just the slightest of touches. Short walks with Taehyung that left Jimin gasping for breath. Coughs that produced more blood than they did air. 

I could see that the treatments were taking their toll. Jimin’s weight had reached an all time low, his ribs prominent against his skin. He now had a wide array of head scarves, from bold colors to flower printed ones, but sometimes I caught him staring into the mirror, silent tears running down his face. 

Hope was all I had left. But Jimin…. 

Jimin was losing that hope. He was losing the will to keep fighting. And I wasn’t sure how long I could convince to keep doing something that only took from him, never giving back in exchange.

And then, two weeks ago, we had all our friends over. It was one of the better days. Jimin was smiling, his skin a glow with happiness as he chatted with Hoseok, both of them curled up on the couch. Jin and Namjoon had cuddled up on the loveseat across from them, small smiles on their faces. And I watched it all from the side, memorizing the look on Jimin’s face - a look I didn’t get to see often anymore.

Taehyung and Jungkook ran circles around the living room, wooden swords in hand. They stopped between the couches, Taehyung - in all his eyepatched glory - stood before Jimin, his sword up in front of him. “Treasure mine,” he grumbled, defending a now giggling Jimin from the clutches of Jungkook. The older lunged forward, whacking the swords together.

“Careful, boys,” I called, but my warning was lost in the sound of play. Jungkook and Taehyung had an epic battle - that is to say there was a lot of grunting and fake groaning when one of them got hit. 

And then Taehyung tripped, his body falling backwards. I moved towards him, but Jimin reacted faster, his arm shooting out to catch Taehyung - a resounding snap sounding through the room. Everything went quiet as we all froze, watching as Jimin cradled his arm to his chest, breathing hard through clenched teeth. Taehyung sat on the floor, blinking dazedly. 

“Taehyung,” Jimin panted, forcing a smile on his face. “Are you okay?” The boy stood, nodding quickly. Then he was off again, the circles once again resumed. 

I crouched down beside Jimin, who finally lets the mask drop, little tears dropping down his cheeks. “Are you okay?” I ask quietly. He just shook his head, once again cradling his arm. I threw our friends a glance, all of them nodding and standing. Hoseok helped Namjoon and Jin wrangle the kids up, Taehyung pressing kisses to our cheeks before he heads off to spend a fun filled night with Jungkook.

And now here we are, two weeks later, still in the hospital room that Jimin had been admitted to that night. The doctors were afraid of releasing Jimin, whose bones were now too weak to sustain even gentle touches.

“Where are you?” Jimin’s rough voice calls to me.

Bringing my head back to the present, I give him a small smile. “I was just thinking about the past,” I tell him. 

Jimin laughs, which turns into a fit of coughs. I hover around him, too afraid to touch him but also wanting him to know that I’m there. I had never been good at comforting people, but doing it when you can’t touch them is even worse. Handing him a tissue, I pretend to not see the bright red spots when he pulls it away. 

“Yoongi,” he wheezes. “We need-” he takes a deep, shuddering breath, “-need to talk. About what happens after-”

“Don’t,” I say, cutting him off. Clearing my throat, I look to the couch, where Taehyung sleeps curled up against the arm rest. “We don’t have to talk about it. Because it’s not going to happen.”

He gives me that _‘stop being dumb’_ look. “Look at me, Yoongi.” I raise my eyes hesitantly, taking him in. His pajamas, which I brought from home so he didn’t have to wear a hospital gown nonstop, hang loosely on his body, the black of them a shock of color against his yellow-tinted skin. The change in his skin tone had started around a month ago and had made Jimin cry. His arm is still casted, the purple - a color that had been chosen by Taehyung - protecting Jimin’s broken radius from anymore danger. My eyes move up to his face, taking in his chapped lips, the oxygen cannula placed in his nostrils, the dark bags under his eyes. 

Even through all this, I still think Jimin is the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. Even when he doesn’t see it.

“Denial helps no one,” he tells me. “You heard what the doctors said before, Yoongi. My body is giving out. No amount of chemo will fight it.”

Tears prick my eyes, my voice thick with unshed tears. “So you want me to what?” I ask, gripping the edge of the bed. “You want me to just give up on you? To let you die?”

His hand raises slowly, his cool palm resting against my cheek. “I don’t want you to give up on me, Yoongi,” he tells me, smiling at me. “You’re not letting me die. You’re helping me find peace at what is the end of a very happy life. I just need to know that you’ll be okay when I’m gone.”

“How could I ever be okay without you?” The tears break free, Jimin swiping them from my cheek as they fall. 

“You’ll be okay.” He pats my cheek. “You’ll raise Taehyung to be the man I know he can be, someone who believes in love.”

“Can I do that on my own?”

“Of course you can,” he retorts. “But if you need some help, I’ll be there. I wrote some letters, they’re in a box in the back of our closet. If you could give them to Taehyung-”

“I promise.”

“I love you.” A lone tear tracks down his face. “I’ve loved you from that first moment and every day only adds to how much I love you. When we got married, when we had Taehyung, and even now when you take care of me when so many others would have run.”

“Don’t make this sound like a goodbye,” I whisper.

“Not a goodbye,” he promises. “Just a see you later.” His eyes start to droop, his hand lowering back to the bed. 

“Just a see you later,” I say as his eyes close for the last time.

***********

Emptiness pushes on me from every direction, suffocating me.

I’m vaguely aware of a voice talking to me, of the feeling of fabric beneath my fingers, of the tears that push at the wall of numbness I’ve constructed. 

I’m extremely aware of the heartbeat I feel pounding in my chest.

A heartbeat that Jimin no longer has.

Hands are on my cheeks, tilting me some I’m looking into familiar brown eyes.

_Hoseok._

When did Hoseok get here?

Where exactly was here?

His mouth moves, forming words that sound too far away. I try to focus, catching bits and pieces. “..home….dinner….Taehyung...Jin...staying…..sorry.”

And then he leaves me, leaving me staring at a familiar mantle. 

_When did I get home?_

My eyes catch on a flash of pink. I stand, my legs shaking underneath me, and trudge towards it. Reaching out, I pick up the picture, my thumb rubbing across the frame. Jimin smiles from his place beside me, his arms wrapped around my waist, the blue of the ocean spread out behind us. 

Our honeymoon. Were we really that happy only two years ago?  
My grip tightens, the glass cracking beneath my fingers. Using my other hand, I pick up the next picture. Jimin and I hold each other close on the dancefloor, bright smiles on both of our faces. So in love, so happy.

_So stupid. So so stupid to think it could last._

Jimin’s smiling face, our happiness together, taunts me from inside the frames. “Look what you lost,” they shout at me. “Look what a fool you were to believe in love,” they teased. 

“Shut up,” I grumble, letting the pictures in my hands clatter to the floor. I swipe at the mantle, clearing the left side of pictures. “Shut up!” I yell, swiping again at the right side. Memories fall to the floor around me, the shattering of the glass reminding me just how broken I am. I drop to my knees, oblivious to the glass crushing beneath me, my eyes drawn to a picture of Jimin smiling, his hands cradling one of our first ultrasounds. “Please,” I whisper, tears running down my cheeks and dripping onto the glass, blurring Jimin’s smile. “Please, don’t leave me.”

“Yoongi!” Hoseok’s voice gasps. His hands haul me up, but my eyes stayed glued on the pictures - on Jimin’s smile. A smile I would never again get to see. “What happened?” Hoseok looks me over, dusting bits of glass to the floor. “You’re lucky no glass cut through your pants,” he tells me. He turns, taking in the mess. “And all your pictures. Do you want me to put them in new frames?”

“Put them away,” I tell him, turning away from the reminders of my past. 

“Are you sure? But-”

“I don’t want to see them!” I yell, my voice echoing in the empty house. Tense silence fills the space between us. I can feel Hoseok’s eyes on me, but I can’t bear to turn around and look at him. “Please,” is all I say instead, my voice small. “Please, just put them away. All of them.”

Hoseok’s footsteps move away from me, disappearing up the stairs before coming back to stop beside me. “Are you absolutely sure?” he whispers. I nod, letting my feet take me back to the couch. I sink down onto it, watching as he picks the pictures up and puts them in the black box. Neither of us speak as he seals away every picture, my walls and shelves now barren of any reminders of what used to be.

Of what I had lost.

I watch as Hoseok cleans up the mess, picking up frames and sweeping up shards of glass until there’s no trace of my break down.

Until there’s nothing broken left in the room - except for me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really cant find the words to describe how i feel about this chapter
> 
> as we come down to the last final chapters, i hope you guys are enjoying the story <3   
> you've been great on this wild ride of emotions and, for that, i will always be super grateful <3


	29. Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! 
> 
> It's been a few weeks but I just needed a little time to get my emotions together after the last chapter.  
> Without further ado, I present the ending chapters of Terrible Things!

_Present Day_

"He loved you," I tell Taehyung, who has gone utterly still in my lap. I stroke his hair, running my fingers through the pink strands. "He loved you more than anything in the world."

He shoots up, his little hands curled into fists at his sides. "I don't know him," he mumbles.

Our guests watch us warily, unsure about the mood in the room. "What's that?" I ask, staring at his back.

He whirls on me, tears shining in his eyes. "I don't know anything about him!" He yells. "He's gone and I know nothing!" He jabs a finger at me, his tears breaking free. "And it's all your fault, Dad!"

My stomach drops and I just watch as he runs upstairs, Jin calling after him. 

"I'm sorry," I say to the group around me. 

"Don't apologize," Namjoon tells me. "It's a natural reaction. He is feeling a loss he never had to process before. It's natural for him to look for someone to blame."

"But-" Hoseok cuts in. "-it isn't your fault, no matter how much you may feel like it is."

"But I-"

"No buts," Jin cuts me off. "You did what you had to in order to allow yourself to grieve, Yoongi. There's no shame or blame in that." He shoves the box into my hands, stepping back into Namjoon's side. "Now go talk to your son. I'll get us all settled into the guest rooms."

I hesitate for a second, but Jin pushes me, shooing me off. I climb the stairs quickly, my feet taking me to Taehyung's room. Standing outside his door, the box feels like lead in my hands. For years it had held my memories, but now it holds my guilt as well.

I open the door without knocking, barely dodging a pillow aimed at my head. "Taehyung," I chastise, stepping over his weapon of choice. "We don't throw pillows at people, do we?"

He mumbles from his spot on the bed, his blue comforter drawn completely over him. Juggling the box, I manage to pick up the pillow, setting it on the bed as I settle in next to him. 

"Tae, I know your upset with me right now." He grunts in acknowledgement. "But I have something for you. From Jimin. He wrote it-"

"From Jimin?" He asks quietly, his head just barely popping out of the shelter of his blanket.

"From Jimin," I tell him, nodding. "It's a letter he wrote for you. Do you want me to read it to you?"

"Please." He climbs out of the blankets, eyes red and puffy as he takes the spot beside me.

I nod, opening the box. I move the pictures aside, finding the letters at the bottom. They're all labeled in Jimin's handwriting, each one assigned to a different life event. But for now, I go with the one labeled 'For the Big News'. I let my finger trail over the words for a second, imagine Jimin writing them. "Are you ready?"

Taehyung nods, his eyes on the envelope. I open it slowly, careful not to tear the paper.

"Taehyungie," I start.

Taehyungie,  
Time is a lot of things, but fair is not one of them.  
If it were, I wouldn't be writing this letter while you and Yoongi sleep.  
I would be able to watch you grow up, instead of just wondering who you'll become when you're older.  
I would know what age you are right now.  
Are you still a child? Maybe you're ten? Or maybe Yoongi avoided it so well that you're an adult now.  
Whatever the case may be, I know what you'll be feeling, my love. Betrayal, anger, sadness. You'll look for someone to blame.  
I know because I've been through it. I went through all those things when I learned that I would be losing you.  
Blame won't make you feel better, Taehyungie.  
So forgive your dad and let go of that anger. Because he loves you, but sometimes pain makes us do things that other people don't understand.  
I hope you've become someone who can understand others pain and maybe even help them through it. I hope your life is so full of happiness that you have no regrets when I see you again.  
And if you need a little bit of help along the way, I'm here. I'm always with you, always watching over you. Even if you can't see me.  
I love you, Taehyung.  
And no amount of time will change that.  
With all my love,  
Dada 

We sit in silence for a moment, needing a beat to process it. I slide the letter back into its envelope, setting it on Taehyung's night stand. If he needed to read it again, it would be there for him.

"I'm sorry," Taehyung finally speaks.

"It's okay," I promise. "I know it hurts to lose someone, Tae. Even if you feel like you didn't know them."

"I want to know him." He clutches the side of my shirt, blinking up at me. "Will you tell me about him?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

*************

It's late when I finally get Taehyung to bed, but not without a promise that we'll pick the questioning back up first thing in the morning.

I had talked more about Jimin today than I had in years. His favorite color, what he liked to eat, if he liked coffee or tea - which is neither because he's a hot chocolate lover. All the facts that I had learned in our time together and wouldn't forget no matter how much time we were apart, I would tell Taehyung all of it.

It felt good to talk about him again. To let myself remember. To feel the love I had with him rather than the pain I had without him.

After checking on my friends - who are all fast asleep in the guest rooms - I make my way back to my own bedroom. Setting the box down on the bed, I go to the closet that started all this. There, in the back, is a pair of pink, silk pajamas. A gift from Jimin for the last birthday we spent together.

I never could bring myself to wear them. But today, I slip them on, letting the memory of Jimin settle on my skin. 

Sliding into bed, I pull out all the letters, reading all the different life events Jimin wrote for. From birthdays to holidays, and even one for Taehyung's wedding day, there was letter after letter.

My hand stills when I get to the last one in the pile. My name is scrawled across the front in black ink.

I stare at it for a long time, warring with myself. 

Did I want to see what was inside? Would it be okay if I didn't open it? These were the last thoughts Jimin wanted to share with me. Was I ready for the finality that they symbolised?

It doesn't matter. Whether I'm ready or not, I know I need to read whatever words were inside this envelope.

Taking one last deep breath, I open the letter.

Yoongi,  
There are so many things that I wanted to tell you, but now that I’m trying to write this none of them seem important enough to put onto paper.  
I’m so sorry, Yoongi.  
You promised me a lifetime of happiness. Something I never thought I would get. You gave me a home, your love, and blessed me with our beautiful little Taehyung.  
I’m not foolish enough to believe that you’ll move on after I’m gone. I know you too well. You’re too loyal, you love too deep, and what we had was a once in a lifetime type of love, one so epic that it’s a story that we would’ve passed down for generations.  
You promised me forever…  
And now I’ve stolen yours.  
Life is full of terrible things, my love. Hunger, sickness, death. All of those are terrible, they make people suffer.  
But for every terrible thing, there's wonderful things as well.  
Don't let this one terrible thing ruin all of the wonderful things that we had, Yoongi.  
Remember us as we were. From strangers in a bar to husbands raising a family.  
Those are the important parts of our life. Not this.  
Tell Taehyung of the love we shared. How much we loved him.  
And let him know it's okay to love fully, to go all in. Even if it might end up bad.  
The true passion lies in the risk.  
I thought I had forever to tell you everything, but our time is coming to an end and most of my words will remain unsaid.  
So I’ll tell you the only thing that matters and the only thing that will ever matter:  
I love you, Yoongi.  
As a lone Omega with no family, I loved you.  
As a husband who had everything, I loved you.  
Even as this sickness ravages my body, I love you.  
And after I’m gone, I’ll still love you.  
Thank you for believing in love  
And in me,  
Jimin  


By the time I reach the end I can barely read the words, my vision impaired by the tears I'm forcing back.

Four years that Jimin's been gone.

Four years that I've forced myself, and Taehyung, to live on like he never existed. I shoved my heart in the box with all those memories.

Four years of being an empty shell of myself.

But going on like this would be a betrayal to thw man who wrote me this letter. The one who forced himself to write letter after letter just so he knew we'd be okay in the future, despite the fact that I know he'd been exhausted in those final days.

I couldn't do this to Jimin, to myself or Taehyung, anymore. 

It was time to empty out the box.

It'll hurt. It'll be one of the hardest things for me to do - opening up and letting that pain back in. 

But I'll do it.

Because I won't let this terrible thing win anymore than it already has.


	30. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been almost a year since I started this a story and now here we are, posting the final chapter.

_October 13th  
15 Years Later_

The sun peeks through a cloudy sky, too shy to come out and fully get rid of the chill that comes with autumn. Leaves litter the ground, a sea of reds and golds against a fading green background. They crunch under our feet as we walk, the sound soothing me as it always does when I make this trip. 

“Are you okay?” Hoseok speaks up from beside me. 

“I’m fine,” I tell him. I can feel his eyes on me, looking for any sign of a lie, but I keep my gaze straight ahead.

“I know how hard this can be on you.”

“We do this every year, Hoseok.” I stomp on, pulling ahead of him. He rushes to keep up, more leaves crunching under his soles. “I know this is the first time you’ve come along, but really, I’m fine.”

“I was just worried,” he mumbles.

I appreciate his concern, I really do, but it’s unfounded. It’s true that I struggled in the beginning. But now, 12 years later, I find myself looking forward to our annual trip. I take one final step forward, a smile pulling at my lips as I stop in front of the stone. My eyes peruse the marble slab, watching as it glints in the sunlight. 

“Hi, Jiminie,” I whisper, crouching down in front of the tombstone. “I’m back.”

Bickering reaches my ears and I turn towards the voices, not surprised to see Taehyung and Jungkook moving towards us. 

“I said I’m fine, Kook. I can walk on my own,” Taehyung sighs, pulling away from Jungkook. He waddles a few steps before Jungkook catches up again, wrapping his arms around Taehyung’s waist. 

“You’re two weeks from your due date, Tae. At least let me-”

“For the last time, Kook, the baby and I are fine,” Taehyung says, rubbing his hand across his swollen belly. “The doctor said it’s good to move around, keeps your muscles strong.” Taehyung turns forward, his eyes meeting mine. He smiles at me. “Hi, Dad!”

I stand, holding my arms out. He steps into them quickly, bending slightly to hug me. I squeeze him to me gently, careful of the bump between us. Taking a step back, I hold him at arm’s length. “How are you?”

“Despite whatever someone-” he cuts his eyes at his mate “-may think, I’m perfectly fine.” He runs his hand across his stomach, cradling the bump. A breeze blows through, tousling his pink locks - my breath catches as I think about how much he looks like Jimin. “I swear,” Taehyung continues, “I can’t take two steps without Jungkook rushing to my side.”

“I’m not that bad,” Jungkook objects from behind Taehyung’s back.

“Cut him some slack,” I chuckle. “It’s hard to try and balance the instincts that tell us to protect our mates. Sometimes he’ll go overboard.”

Taehyung rolls his eyes, but a smile sneaks its way onto his lips. He reaches out, squeezing Jungkook’s hand a few times. I let my arms drop back to my sides, my heart warming at the sight of them together. 

Having known they were meant for each other since they were children, it came as no surprise to my friends and I when Jungkook and Taehyung got together as teenagers. A few years later they decided to marry and now, at 21, they were having a little baby girl. They were ecstatic, as were all of us. 

“How are your dads?” I address Jungkook. Jin and Namjoon were on vacation in Hawaii for their anniversary and while we’ve spoken a few times, we haven’t really gone into depth about their time there.

“They’re good,” he tells me. “Apparently they took some cooking classes together for Hawaiin cuisine and Dad may or may not have started a small fire.”

“Sounds about right,” Hosoek chuckles. “How’d Jin react?”

“About the same as you just did,” Taehyung laughs. “They should be home next week. They don’t want to miss the arrival of little Ji.” His eyes glance towards Jimin’s tombstone, his smile faltering for a second. Catching on to the turn of the mood, Jungkook pats Hoseok on the shoulder, leading him out of earshot to give Taehyung and I some privacy. 

“Do you want me to leave?” I ask him. I won’t take it personally if he says yes. I understand that sometimes these visits can be too raw, too emotionally tiring to do in front of someone else. 

He shakes his head, giving me a shaky smile. “Stay, please.” I nod, moving to stand by his side as he sits on the ground in front of Jimin’s grave. He reaches up, intertwining our fingers and I’m instantly reminded of the first time Taehyung ever visited Jimin’s grave. Taehyung, only 9 then, had held onto my hand the whole time, tears in his eyes as he told Jimin all about his life and how much he missed him. 

“Hi dad,” Taehyung starts, drawing my focus back to the present. Trying to give him as much privacy as possible, I keep my eyes forward, watching as the leaves dance in the wind. “A lot has happened since the last time I spoke to you. One of my paintings was chosen for an exhibit. And guess what? It’s in the same museum that Dad’s was. The place where he finally stopped being a coward.” He chuckles and I can’t help and smile. Of course Taehyung would remember that particular part of the story. 

“Jungkook’s gym opened a few months ago,” he continues. “He teaches a boxing class three times a week. He loves it.” I hear him suck in a deep breath, silence stretching for a few moments. “I’m having a baby,” Taehyung whispers. “A girl. Her name is Ji and I-” he sucks in a sharp breath, his voice wavering with emotion. “I wish you could meet her. I wish you were here to tell me that it’ll be okay. To tell me what to expect or give me advice that I’ll probably never follow.” I squeeze Taehyung’s hand, giving him what support I can. “But I know you’re with me, that you’ll help me be the best I can be. I still have a few letters, after all.” I hear grass rustling and then Taehyung is standing. “I love you, Dad. And next year when I come back, I’ll bring your granddaughter to meet you,” he promises before turning towards me. 

I drop his hand and wipe a few of his tears away. “He would be so proud of you,” I tell him. “You’re going to be a wonderful father, TaeTae. Just like Jimin was.”

“And you,” he tells me.

“And me,” I say quietly, giving him a quick hug. 

Taehyung watches me for a second. “Do you want me to stay?”

I shake my head, turning to look at the stone. “I’d like a few moments alone, if that’s okay.” 

“Okay.” I hear his footsteps as he walks away, quiet voices reaching my ears when he reunites with Jungkook and Hoseok. 

I take up Taehyung’s empty seat, grinning when I see that he’s placed a copy of one of the ultrasounds at the base of Jimin’s grave. “We raised a good man,” I tell him. “Which I give you complete credit for. Everything good in him came from you, Jimin. His compassion, his passion, his ability to love with all he has. It’s all from you. I was scared in the beginning, you know? About him and Jungkook being together. I knew they were meant to be together, but terrible things happen. Just like it did for us. I didn’t want him to go through that.” I trace the etching of his name, following the letters absentmindedly. “It’s been almost 20 years since you passed, Jiminie. If you asked me in those first few years if I ever thought I’d survive 20 years without you I’d have said no. How could I? You were everything for me. You were the sky, the earth, you were the air I breathed to keep myself going.”

I lean my head forward, resting against the cool stone, my eyes dropping shut. “But here we are, and I’m still here without you. Without you but still so utterly in love. Namjoon and Jin have started to drop hints that they think I should get back out there, let myself fall in love again. But how can I do that when I still love you? When I love you so fully and completely that anything else just seems pale in comparison?” I open my eyes and lean back. Staring up at the sky, I watch as the clouds pass over the sun, muting it’s brightness. 

“Life does terrible things, Jiminie.” Tears start to form in my eyes, the sky blurring before me. “The way you were raised, the way we were cheated out of our forever together, your death,” my breath hitches, “Those were all terrible things. But our love? Our son who is the result of that love? How could he ever be a terrible thing? 

“You and I are a once in a lifetime love - soulmates. And for a while, I thought that that was all I got in life, which would’ve been enough for me. But Hoseok-” I squeeze my hands into fists at my sides, “we have the potential to be something. I’m not sure what. My feelings for him aren’t what they were for you - all encompassing, love at first sight stuff. But they’re there all the same.”

“He understands the grief of losing you, he helped me through the worst of it. He’s not pushing to remove you from my heart like someone else might,” I whisper.

“But I’m scared,” I admit, a tear breaking free. “I’m scared that you’ll hate me for it. That I’ll be betraying you somehow by letting myself fall in love again. I’m afraid that I’ll lose it all again. That I’m too broken to love someone after losing you.”

“But I promised not to let fear hold me back anymore. You taught me to believe in love and that’s what I’m trying to do. I want to believe and hope that life has decided that I’ve been through enough terrible things.” I pull a picture from my pocket, one of Jimin and I at our wedding, cake icing spread across our noses and grins on our faces. “I wish I could get your blessing, that I could somehow know that you’re okay with all this, Jiminie.” Placing the picture on the ground, I push to my feet. Turning to leave, a familiar smell stops me in my tracks. A breeze caresses my cheek, Jimin’s strawberry-and-cream scent covering me for a split second. 

And then it’s gone as quickly as it came. A sob shakes my shoulders, tears running down my face as relief fills me. “Thank you, Jiminie,” I whisper to the wind. Wiping my eyes, I walk towards my future.

But I’m not saying goodbye to my past.

Just a see you later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I first started this story, I wasn't sure if I would be able to convey the type of emotion that it would require. Or whether anyone would want to read a tragedy. I was uncertain and unsure of the story I was about to start. But it's been 30 chapters of emotional roller coasters and I couldn't be happier with how it all turned out. 
> 
> And you guys have been great through all of it. From all the kudos to all the comments, and even sticking through the 6 week hiatus when I broke my wrist. You guys are really the best part of writing.
> 
> I hope the ending was everything you guys could have wanted and that you've enjoyed reading through Jimin and Yoongi's love story as much as I loved writing it.
> 
> With the end of this story also comes the end of my fanfic writing experience. I've loved writing all these different stories and I love that this is going to be the one that I end on. 
> 
> Thank you guys for making this such an amazing last story!
> 
> All my love to you 💜💜💜🖤💜🖤💜🖤💜🖤💜🖤💜🖤


	31. Special : Taekook

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen-
> 
> I know I said I was done. I really meant it, I did. 
> 
> But a Taekook addition was requested, and what was I gonna do? Say no?
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy this special chapter!

_October 4th  
Age: 9_

"Will you marry me, Tae?"

I look up from the leaves I've been playing with to see Jungkook staring at me, a black spider ring - one of the plastic ones that you can buy a ton of - in his hand, stretched out towards me.

"What?" I scrunch my nose, allergies starting to make themselves known.

"Will you marry-"

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to say no," I cut him off, going back to my leaves.

"What?" He stomps over the leaves and crouches down until he's pouting in my face. "Why not?"

"I'm too young to get married," I shrug. "Besides what if I meet someone that I love as much as my dads loved each other?"

"I love you that much," he grumbles.

I roll my eyes. "Do you even know what love is?" I scoop up what remains of my leaf mountain. "We've been friends forever, Kookie. That's why you love me."

He stands suddenly, hands placed on his hips as he beams down at me. "I'll prove it," he proclaims. "And when you finally realize that we're meant to be together, you'll beg me to marry you!"

And then he runs off and I'm left staring at his back. 

_February 1st  
Age: 12_

The house is quiet, my dad tucked away in his studio for the rest of the night. I'm not sure when he sleeps, really. He's with me in the afternoons and after I've gone to bed he slips into work mode and stays up all night. But he's always up and awake to help me get ready for school.

I've told him plenty of times that I'm old enough to do it by myself, but he always just mumbles something about wanting to do it.

I lay awake, staring up at the stars that dot my ceiling - a leftover design from my astronaut phase when I was 8. I know I should sleep, but it's one of those nights where my mind just runs in circles, never settling down enough for me to actually rest.

A small sliding noise sounds throughout the room, bringing my attention to the window just as a familiar head of brown hair pops through. 

Jungkook looks to my bed, throwing me a grin when he catches me already watching him, before pulling himself the rest of the way through. Slipping his shoes off, he tiptoes quietly to the unoccupied side of the bed. 

"You don't have to do this every time," I whisper to him.

He slides under the covers and I turn to see him shrug. "I want to. Besides we live like a few houses apart and I can't sleep feeling how restless you are."

"You can't feel it."

"Can too," he insists.

"Yeah, yeah," I say, rolling my eyes.

"So what's got you up so late tonight?"

Settling on my side, I rest my hands under my chin. "It's probably dumb."

"Nothing you think about is dumb." 

Those words should sound cheesy and most would cringe just thinking them but Jungkook says them easily, like it's simply a fact that needs stated. 

I can't help the small blush that I feel rising in my cheeks and I've never been more thankful for the darkness of my room.

"Do you think my dad will be alone forever?" I ask him, letting him in on what's been bothering me.

Shifting so he's laying on his back with one arm tucked behind his head, Jungkook ponders for a second. "I think that he's probably struggling with the same thoughts right now."

"What do you mean?"

"Well it's been years since your other dad passed, right?" In all the years we've known each other, Jungkook has never said "died" to me. Maybe he knows that it upsets me, or maybe he can feel that it does, but he always says passes or left.

It's something I'm grateful for.

"Yeah. Next month will be 11 years."

I know because I can already feel my dad shutting down, like he does every year around March. The long nights, the bags under his eyes, the zoning out he does when he thinks I'm not paying attention.

But I do. 

And yet I never say anything.

"11 years may seem like a long time," Jungkook speaks again. "But if you've lost the love of your life, someone who was everything to you, then I imagine that it feels both like the blink of an eye and also an eternity. The days stretch on and on, but time moves too quickly when all you want it to do is go back and freeze before you lose them." He blows a piece of his air off his forehead. "So right now, forever seems to short and too vast to really comprehend right now."

I'm not sure what to say, but I'm saved from trying to think of a remark when he continues. "So do I think he'll be alone forever? I don't know. He could push on alone, keeping the memories of Jimin alive and having that be enough. Or-" a devilish smirk curves his lips "-he could take notice of the feelings Hoseok has for him and they could have a nice life together."

Sighing, I settle down into the mattress. "Love is complicated."

"Not really."

"And when did you become such a master?"

"Not really a master," he shrugs. "I just thought about how it would feel to lose you."

Blood rushes to my cheeks and I pull the blanket up to hide them. How can he be so straightforward? "Well okay then," I mumble.

He turns his head to look at me, cocking an eyebrow. "What? No denial of my feelings? No telling me that it's just the life long friendship talking?" He gasps. "Are you falling in love with me?"

"A-absolutely not," I stammer, pulling the blanket in closer. "Just go to bed."

"Whatever you say, Tae." He reaches out, pulling me to him until my head rests on his chest. He plays with my hair, his fingers running through the cotton candy colored locks as I listen to the steady beat of his heart.

I close my eyes, letting the sound lull me to sleep as it does everytime Jungkook helps me sleep.

"Hey, Tae?" Jungkook's chest vibrates as he speaks, the feeling sending the butterflies in my stomach aflutter. 

Swallowing, I push the reaction down. "Yeah?"

"Will you marry me?"

"Still a no, Kook," I mumble, snuggling further into his chest.

"Because you don't love me?"

"Because love is complicated and not worth it," I tell him truthfully. "What good is being in love and promising forever when no one really knows if you'll get it?"

Neither of us say it, but we both know I'm thinking about my dads - robbed of a forever and left to suffer in the aftermath.

"Taehy-"

"Goodnight, Jungkook," I cut him off. I don't want to talk about this anymore and thankfully he lets it drop, instead opting to just play with my hair.

My consciousness is just starting to fade when Jungkook whispers, "It'll always be worth it."

_November 29th  
Age: 16_

"I heard he still hasn't fully presented."

"Maybe something's wrong with him? After all, he is a male omega."

Slamming my locker door, I glare at the girls beside me, and they at least have the decency to look embarrassed at being caught talking about me. 

But as soon as I turn and take a few steps, their hurtful words start up again. 

"I bet Jungkook is only friends with him because he's hoping to get the first lay," the one girl stage whispers, apparently braver now that I'm not glaring at her head on.

"I've heard their parents are friends," the other pipes up. "So maybe it's only because he has to be friends with him." 

Gripping the strap of my bag tighter, I grit my teeth and continue walking, their words fading into the cacophony of sounds as other students get ready to leave for the day.

I wasn't oblivious to how other people thought of me. I know that they whisper about me behind my back. They say I'm a freak of nature by being a male Omega. Add on the fact that I haven't fully presented at the age of 16 - 2 whole years later than most do - and I'm a bonafide mockery.

I didn't care what they said about me, not really anyway.

It's that they had to bring Jungkook into it that upsets me.

He's the star of the school. A strong Alpha. He's smart and can do anything well - He's a real life golden-boy.

But yet he hangs out with me, the school pariah, and it drives people crazy. They never say anything to me or about me in front of Jungkook, but as soon as he turns his back they show their true selves. 

In a world of two-faced people, it was extremely difficult to find someone genuine. 

An arm drapes across my shoulders, bringing me back to the real world. “What’s up, Tae?”

“Hi, Kook,” I greet, shrugging his arm off. 

He moves in front of me, forcing me to stop in my tracks. He bends down, moving his face only a few inches from my own. I can feel my cheeks warming at his proximity. Gulping, I avert my eyes, suddenly interested in the stale green of the lockers. “What’s wrong, Tae?”

“Nothing,” I mumble.

“Liar.” He flicks me in between my brows. “You always get a little wrinkle here when you’re upset. So come on, just tell me.”

“It’s really nothing,” I insist. “Just some girls saying some stupid things.”

He shoots up, his spine straight. “Who was it?” 

“No one,” I lie. “It’s not important, Kook. Just let it go.”

I watch as his jaw locks, and I know he’s gritting his teeth. It’s what he does when he gets upset on my behalf - when he’s trying to control a temper that’s so unlike him. A woodsy scent - like a forest in winter - reaches my nose, tingles erupting in my fingers. 

Weird. That’s never happened before.

Jungkook’s jaw relaxes, a sigh escaping him. The strange smell is forgotten when he once again drapes his arm across my shoulders, using it to lead me down the hallway. “You know I just don’t like it when someone says something about you,” he says as way of apology.

“I know,” I tell him. “And you know that usually I don’t even care what they say. But I don’t understand why they have to bring you into it.”

“Because we’re a package deal,” he states. “So what’d this mystery person have to say?”

He opens the door for me, chuckling when I let out a small hum of approval when the cool autumn air touches my overheated skin. I’ve been feeling a little off since that moment in the hallway. 

“I’ll tell you later.”

“What? No! You need to tell me,” he whines. “I need to know, Tae.” Chuckling, I dance ahead of him, twirling and kicking up the leaves on the sidewalk. Jungkook continues to whine the whole way to his car, but I pay him no mind. “You’re killing me here,” he grumbles when we get in. 

When he starts the car and starts to pull out, I finally decide that I’ve let him suffer enough. “They said that you’re only friends with me because our parents force you to.”

“That’s stupid,” he sneers. 

“I know.” I look out the window, my cheeks warming as I tell him the worst comment. “They also said that you stick around me so that you can sleep with me when I finally present.”

I don’t have to look at him to know that he’s upset. I can tell just by the tenseness in the air, the tell-tale sound of teeth grinding filling the car. That smell permeates the air again, my skin warming as it washes over me. 

“You don’t believe that, do you?” 

I don’t say anything. I’m too busy taking deep breaths, trying to keep the tingling in my limbs to a minimum. But it’s not working, instead I seem to just be getting hotter - my skin feeling too tight, too restrictive. 

He takes my silence in the wrong way, and I can feel him seething - but my eyes are still locked out the window, my body in a struggle of its own. 

Seriously, what was wrong with me?

“Do you really believe that?” he asks.

“No,” I croak out. “I don’t.” My voice sounds strange, not at all like me. It’s too breathy, too deep. 

“Good,” he breathes. “They don’t know what they’re talking about, anyway. Even if you never presented, I’d still be here.” The smell abates, but I still feel like I’m trapped inside my own skin. “I’m just glad you don’t believe their bullshit.”

“Mhm,” I hum, the only sound I’m capable of making right now. I don’t trust my voice.  
“Do you smell that?” he asks me. 

I turn my head towards him, my eyes wide. Oh god, was it affecting him too? “What does it smell like?”

He takes a deep breath, a small hum sounding in his chest. “It smells like berries,” he tells me. “It smells like our kitchen does when Dad is making jam.”

I know that smell, have been around it often enough throughout my childhood. And it most definitely was not what I’ve been smelling. 

“You know they say smelling phantom smells is the sign of a stroke or something like that,” I try to joke, but my voice comes out all wrong again.

“Haha, you got me,” he jokes, rolling his eyes. He pulls into my driveway, turning the car off. His eyes narrow at me. “Hey are you feeling okay?”

No, I want to say. I feel like my skin’s on fire, I want to scream. “Just peachy,” I say instead.

“No you’re not.” He slides closer, worry marring his features. “Your face is flushed.” He places a hand on my forehead and I almost groan at the feeling. I squirm, need swallowing me. I need Jungkook to keep touching me, to feel his skin against mine. “We should get you inside.” He slides back, removing his hand. I want to cry out from the loss, the heat once again swallowing me. 

And then my door is opening, his arms coming around me and pulling me from the car. “Jungkook,” I groan. 

“Don’t worry, Tae. I’ve got you,” he tells me. He closes the door, supporting all my weight. He tries to take a step, but my knees give out, threatening to take me to the ground before Jungkook catches me. “Shit,” he grumbles. 

“Jungkook,” I whine again, need swamping me. 

“It’ll be okay,” he assures me. He sweeps me into his arms, the movement eliciting a small groan from me. I snuggle in closer, my nose buried in the side of his neck. I inhale deeply, that intoxicating smell filling my nostrils. I squeeze him tighter, trying to get as close as possible. “You okay, Tae?”

My mouth can’t seem to make words, my brain too muddled. 

A door opens, my Dad’s worried voice surrounding me. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” Jungkook says quickly. “We were driving home and he was burning up.” He lays me on the couch, or at least attempts to. I latch on as tight as I can, a cry breaking from me when he forces my arms out from around him. 

“Jungkook,” my Dad says, his voice cautious. “You need to step away from Taehyung. Right now.” 

“What? Why?” He motions towards me. “Why aren’t you doing something? He’s clearly sick. He needs help!”

“We can’t help him. I called Jin. He’ll be here in a few minutes. But you and I, we have to get out of here.”

“We can’t just leave him!” The smell of snow covered trees once again covers me, a low moan spilling from my lips. If my brain was clearer, I might’ve been embarrassed about making that noise in front of my dad. But right now, I couldn’t care less. 

“You need to calm down, Kook. And move away from him. You’re making it worse.”

“Why?” Jungkook yells, still standing guard over me. I reach out with a trembling hand, grabbing his pant leg. “You’re not telling me why we can’t help him.”

“I’m here!” Jin’s voice joins the room. “I brought the medicine,” he pants. 

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Jungkook,” Jin addresses him. “You need to listen to Yoongi and leave Taehyung with me. You’re only making this harder on him.”

He takes a few steps away, the smell going with him. I whimper, trying to keep a hold of his pant leg. “See? He’s obviously in pain. I just don’t under-”

“He’s presenting,” Jin tells him. “He’s going into heat. So I’m going to need you and your Alpha pheromones to get out of here so I can help him. Go home with Yoongi. I have Taehyung covered.”

Jungkook gives me a worried glance before nodding slowly. He pulls away completely, my hand falling to hang off the edge of the couch. 

“Jungkook,” I call him. He stiffens, but turns his back to me, moving to my dad’s side. “Jungkook!” He puts more space between us, my skin tightening with each step he takes. “Please,” I beg, frantically calling him back to me. “Don’t leave me!”

He freezes and my heart soars. I’ve finally gotten through to him. He’ll finally come back and get rid of this heat building inside me. I just need him to take it from me - to replace it with-

“Can you guys give us a second?” He asks. 

“Kook,” Jin warns.

“I know,” he says. “I just need a few minutes. It’ll be fine, I promise.”

Footsteps draw away and then he’s there, his scent blanketing me as he kneels next to the couch. “Jungkook,” I breathe. “Come here.” I reach up, wrapping my arms around his neck. He watches me, his eyes dilating. I pull him down to me, crashing our lips together. 

He groans, digging one of his hands in my hair. We kiss frantically, both of us fighting for dominance, but he pulls away before I’ve had nearly enough. 

“Come back,” I beg. “Please, Kookie.”

“Tae-”

“I need you,” I plead, pulling on him again. He relents, pressing a few more kisses to my lips. I move down, kissing a path along his jaw and down his neck, moaning when his scent skyrockets. 

He rips away from me, panting. “We can’t do this.” 

“Why not?” I make grabby-hands for him, but he evades me. 

“I won’t take advantage of you like that, Tae.”

“You’re not taking advantage of me.” Is it up, pressing a lighting fast kiss to his lips, too quick for him to dodge me. “I want this.” I kiss him again. “I want you.” I try again but this time he moves and I only graze the corner of his mouth. “I love-”

His hand covers my mouth, cutting off my words. “Stop,” he commands. “When you finally admit that to me, I don’t want it to be in the middle of a heat-crazed attempt to get into my pants. I want it to be because you genuinely want to tell me how you feel.”

He removes his hand slowly and I blink up at him. “ I thought you wanted to hear it?”

He shakes his head. “Not like this.” He stands, brushing off his pants. “My dad will take care of you.”

“Jungkook!” I yell as he walks away from me. This time he doesn’t turn back.

**************

The rest of that day, and most of the weekend, passes in a blur. Jin stays with me, feeding me medicine that’s supposed to help ease the need that I feel and keeping me from climbing out of the bed in search of an Alpha that isn’t there.

When my eyes pop open on the third day, I can immediately feel the difference. My skin doesn’t feel like it’s strangling me, the ever-present tingle missing from my limbs.

Jin comes in my room, smiling when he sees me sitting up. “Looks like you got through it.”

“I don’t remember most of it,” I admit, blushing. “And what I do remember is hazy.”

“It gets easier,” he assures me. Sitting at the bottom of the bed, he pats my blanket-covered feet. “The first heat is always the worst. I’m not sure what set yours off, though.” He turns his eyes on me, cocking his head. “Do you remember when it started? If anything strange happened?”

“We were talking about something in the hallway - Jungkook and I,” I explain. “Jungkook was getting upset but I got distracted by a smell. It was weird. My fingers started to tingle. But it went away and I ignored it.” I swallow, feeling embarrassed. “But then we got in the car and Jungkook got mad - like really mad - and suddenly that smell was everywhere. It was like I was trapped in my skin.” I look away, watching my toes move under the covers. “I don’t really remember anything clearly after that.”

“And both times were when Jungkook was upset?” I nod. “Well it’s understandable. Jungkook presented at 14 but his pheromones have gotten stronger recently. If he was upset then they would leak out more. So smelling so much of it and with him also being your chosen-” I cock my head, confused, but Jin continues. “-then it would make sense why your heat suddenly came on.” He sighs, running a hand down his face. “Of course my son started it.”

“What’s a chosen?” 

“The easiest way to put it is that chosen are perfect matches,” he explains. “Soul-mates, is another term. It’s rare to find, but isn’t unheard of. After all, Joon and I are chosen. Not to mention your dads.”

“Jungkook’s not my whatever a chosen is,” I deny. While some people would be ecstatic at the idea of soul-mates, it only filled me with dread. I saw what that connection did to my father, how it left him hollow inside. No love he has will ever compare to the one he lost, we all know it. It’s why he pretends not to notice Hoseok’s feelings. 

“You guys chose each other as toddlers,” he tells me matter-of-factly. “Kook used to throw such giant tantrums if you got even the slightest of scrapes. And you were the only one that calmed him down. If he was fussy and couldn’t sleep, I’d bring him over and we’d lay you two together. He’d go right to sleep.” He smiles, his eyes far away. “It was amazing. Jimin used to love watching you two together. We used to dream about it, you know, when we were both pregnant. That our boys would fall in love and be together forever.”

“I don’t want a soul-mate,” I tell him. “Love is complicated and I don’t want any part of it.”

“And yet you do, don’t you?”

“I don-”

“The all encompassing need to be by the only person who really gets you. Sometimes you swear you can actually feel when they’re upset, that you can tell what they’re thinking without them voicing it. The calm that settles over you when they’re nearby and the butterflies that erupt with one smile from them.” He smiles at me knowingly. “You can fight it all you want, but if it’s there - then it’s there.”

I stay quiet, staring out the window. I didn’t want to argue with him or fight him on it. 

I couldn’t anyway because he had said it all. If it’s there, then it’s there. 

And it was most definitely there.

_May 20th  
Age: 18_

I gather Jungkook’s hair in my hands, braiding a small strand while he plays a game. He’s been growing it out lately, the black strands getting a curl to them. It was a good look, although I’d never admit it to him.

He rests back against my knees, his eyes firmly on the TV in front of him. “That feels nice.”

“Of course it does,” I laugh. “Having someone play with your hair is one of the top 10 feelings in the world.”

“It also helps you go to sleep,” he points out. 

“Sometimes.”

“All the time,” he counters. “It was my go to move when we were younger and you couldn’t sleep. It always helped soothe you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I run my fingers through the braid, undoing it so I could start all over. “How’s the apartment search coming?”

“Difficult,” he admits. “My dads say I can just stay at home for as long as I want, but I want to branch out on my own.”

“Pretty sure your dads would let you stay with them for the rest of your life,” I chuckle. “Especially Jin.”

“You have no room to talk,” he retorts. “As if your dad would ever kick you out.”

“If he kicked me out, who would remind him to eat and sleep?”

Jungkook tilts his head back, a smile pulling at both our mouths at our shared thought.

“Hoseok,” we both say.

Jungkook beams up at me and I look away, a blush rising in my cheeks. The talk I had with Jin rings in my ears. It’s been over a year and yet I haven’t acknowledged my feelings for Jungkook - the feelings that were oh-so-apparent with him smiling up at me. I thought about telling him how I felt when I first accepted my feelings for him, but I kept coming up with excuses.

It’s not a good time, I’d tell myself. He has enough to deal with. We’re both so busy right now.

And now here we are, a year and a half later, and I still haven’t admitted how I felt. Not to him, not to anyone. 

But as the familiar butterflies erupt in my stomach, I feel like a second longer is too long to have him not know how I feel. 

“Hey Kook?” I bring my eyes back to him. He’s staring up at me, a smile still on his handsome face.

“Hm?”

“Will you marry me?”

The smile slips away, panic shooting through me. 

Oh god, what did I do? Why did I say that? I’ve ruined everything.

“Are you actually asking me this, or are you joking with me?”

I gulp, my stomach twisting in knots. “I-” I clear my throat, trying to keep my voice from wavering. “I love you, Jungkook.” I dart my eyes towards the wall, unable to keep looking at him. “I always have. I was just scared to get hurt, you know? But I’ve come to realize that I don’t care anymore.” I force my eyes back to him, meeting his gaze. “My dad told me to take risks. That he wanted me to live a life with no regrets. And I know if I don’t tell you this, that I’ll regret it the rest of my life.” I take a deep breath, pushing on. “So I’m asking you, Jungkook. Just like you’ve done to me for years. Will you marry me?”

“Finally,” he sighs. Reaching up, he tangles his hands in my hair. 

“Is that a yes?” I chuckle.

He pulls me down gently, grazing his lips across my own. My heart swells, it’s pounding sounding like fireworks in my ears. He pulls us apart, a smile lighting up his features. “It’ll always be a yes for you, Tae.”

_December 1st  
Age: 21_

I wake up to the sound of soft cooing. Opening my eyes, I blink a few times, trying to get adjusted to the bright lights. 

“Hey there.”

I smile at the sound of Jungkook’s voice, warmth filling me at my mate’s presence. “Hey,” I respond, my voice heavy with sleep.

“Look who’s awake,” he coos. Finally able to focus, I look towards the sound of his voice - my heart somersaulting when I see the little bundle in his arms. “It’s your Daddy,” he tells the baby in his arms. “He wants to meet you. He’s been waiting a long, long, time to meet you, you know.”

“How is she?” I ask, adjusting so I’m sitting up more. I wince slightly from a pain in my pelvis, but work through it, eventually pulling myself into a semi-sitting up position. 

He stands, careful not to jostle the precious cargo in his arms. Walking to my side, he beams. “Why don’t you see for yourself?” 

He transfers her to me, placing her in my arms. I stare down at her, something inside me clicking into place. Gazing down at this child - our child - feels so right, like this is where I was always meant to be. I take her in, categorizing the features I can place as either Jungkook’s or my own. “She has your eye shape,” I tell him. “My nose though.” I shift the blanket covering her, trying to get a better look at her. I suck in a deep breath, tears stinging my eyes. 

“Pink hair,” Jungkook says. 

“Just like me.” A tear tracks down my cheek, Jungkook brushing it away quickly. “Just like my dad.” I press a kiss to her forehead, breathing her in. “Hello, Ji,” I whisper against her skin.

“I told the nurse that you were awake,” he informs me. “And if I know them, then our parents will be here any-”

The door bursts open, Jin’s smiling face popping inside. He grins when he sees us, dragging a grumbling Namjoon into the room. “How are you and the baby? Both good?”

“We’re good.”

“I’m fine too, thanks for asking,” Jungkook mumbles. 

Jin smacks him on his way passed, “Shush boy. This isn’t about you.”

The door opens again, Hoseok’s smiling face following right after. “We’re here,” he cheers. He steps inside, my dad following him closely, their hands intertwined between them. I smile at the sight, relieved to see my dad giving love another shot.

“Want to meet you granddaughter?” I ask him, holding her out slightly. 

He nods, his eyes never straying from the baby in my arms as he crosses the room. He takes her with practiced ease, no doubt used to this from his time raising me. He looks her over, his eyes going wide. He looks back to me and I give him a nod, a grin spreading across my face. 

“She has-”

“Pink hair,” I finish for him. “Just like Dad.”

“Should’ve known you’d be just as beautiful as he was,” he coos to her. “Just like your dad is.” Hoseok moves to his side, pressing a quick kiss to my dad’s cheek before focusing on the baby. 

“You’re going to be sooooo spoiled,” Hoseok sings. “I’ll buy you so many presents.”

“Don’t spoil her too much,” Jungkook warns.

“Funny, I don’t remember you saying that when I was buying you presents all the time,” Hoseok retorts.

“Yoongi! Quit hogging the baby,” Jin whines. “I want a turn.”

He passes her off, letting Jin have his turn. Jungkook goes to his dads, the three of them huddled around the new addition to our family. Dad moves to my side, Hoseok shadowing him. 

“Jimin would be so proud of you,” he tells me, his eyes glossy.

“And he would’ve absolutely adored, Ji,” Hoseok adds. “He always daydreamed about you growing up, you know. He wondered what you would turn out to be like.” His voice hitches a little, his emotions showing through. Most of the time I forgot how close him and my dad were, but at times like this I’m reminded that they used to be best friends. “And if he was here now, he’d be so happy to see how you grew up.”

I watch as Jungkook throws his head back to laugh at his dad - who is making faces at little Ji. Namjoon watches from the side, a smile on his face as he watches his family - now one member bigger. 

I always feared that love would leave me feeling empty. That it would hollow me out and leave chasm inside, the remains of it echoing forever inside. But as I watch my mate and our daughter, I’ve never felt more alive - more full. And glancing at my dad, with Hoseok at his side, I can tell that he’s refilling a bit of his emptiness. 

Would he ever get to the point where he has no hollow spots left to fill? I’m not sure. But for now he’s content to try. And that’s enough for me.

“He’s here,” I say. I look to my dad, giving him a watery smile. “He’s here and he’s happy for us. All of us.”

He nods, giving my hand a squeeze before he and Hoseok join their friends, smiles on their faces.

Jungkook comes back, Ji tucked in the crook of his arm. He presses a kiss to my forehead and passes her back to me.

“When you get a little older, Ji,” I nuzzle her, holding her to me. “I’ll tell you a story of love and loss. Of terrible and wonderful things.” I look to Jungkook, who nods at me, encouraging me to finish. “But it’s story of love. An epic, meant-to-be love. And even through all the terrible things, that’s something you have to believe in. Even when you’re scared and hurting. When you’re sure love never ends in anything but pain and loneliness.”

I cast a glance at my dad, my heart jumping when I swear I see a pink haze behind him - the smell of strawberries tickling my nose. 

“Always believe in love, Ji. It’s a force like no other. If there’s nothing else you can count on in the world-”

“Believe in love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's all folks. For reals this time! 
> 
> This story, and all of you, will always hold a special place in my heart.  
> I'm retiring from fanfiction with the hopes to work on my own original content and someday maybe get it published.   
> I may come back someday, but for now this will be all.   
> This isn't a goodbye.  
> Just a see you later.


End file.
